Job quality in the Creative Industries: the final report from the Creative PEC's Good Work Review

In January 2022, the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) commenced an independent review of job quality and working practices in the UK Creative Industries, seeking to tackle head-on a range of questions and concerns about the structural features of Creative labour markets. The Good Work Review has comprised a vast programme of work over the course of a year: a process that has entailed examining thousands of data points, reviewing hundreds of existing papers on Creative work, and listening to the views of over 120 stakeholders from across the Creative Industries in each of the four UK nations. 

The Review paints a mixed picture of performance and calls on Government in each nation, Industry stakeholders and Creative businesses to make explicit the commitment to advance Good Work for all Creative workers. The Review has identified four strategic priorities for achieving this in practice:

1. Strengthening the baseline platform of protection and support for Creative workers

2. Driving improvements in management and workplace practices

3. Enhancing professional development and progression in the Creative Industries

4. Improving Creative worker representation and voice

Across these priorities, the authors identify 16 policy recommendations that seek to provide firm foundations on which to build change and address a range of systemic and structural concerns, strengthen incentives for Creative businesses to act and take ownership, and that help to build capacity within the industry to deliver this and that empower Creative workers to play a central role in advancing better quality work for the next generation of Creatives.  The recommendations provide a basis on which to develop connected national roadmaps for advancing Good Work across the Creative sector in different parts of the UK.