Hundreds of creative businesses and projects across the UK are set to receive government funding, marking the first step of the Governments Sector Plan for the creative industries.Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy brought together more than 250 creative businesses and cultural leaders at the The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead earlier this month. Starting with a 60 million package of government support, investments include start-up video game studios, grassroots music venues, and creative businesses to boost British music and film exports. Nandy also announced that shorter apprenticeships will be available from August 2025.Our 60 million funding boost will support creative and cultural organizations across the UK to turbocharge growth by transforming local venues, creating jobs, supporting businesses and spreading opportunity across the country, said Nandy. But this is by no means the limit of our ambitions, which is why the creative industries are at the heart of the forthcoming Industrial Strategy and will continue to play a key part in this Governments Plan for Change.The 60 million package includes 40 million in funding over the next financial year with a further 16.3 million for the Create Growth Programme, 2.5 million for the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, 5.5 million for the UK Games Fund, 1.6 million for the Music Export Growth Scheme, and 7 million for the UK Global Screen Fund. Four cultural projects receiving 16.2 million from the Cultural Development Fund include The Centre for Writing, Glassworks, Harmony Works, and The Tropicana.The recently held Summit aimed to identify key barriers currently holding back the sectors growth potential so that groundwork can be laid for the publication of the full Creative Industries Sector Plan in the spring.Priority regions for Creative Industries are the North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Greater London, West of England, South Wales, Glasgow, Edinburgh-Dundee corridor, and Belfast. Additional funding will be provided as part of the Spending Review to six Mayoral Combined Authorities.The British Business Bank, which supports 17.4 billion of finance to over 64,000 smaller businesses, has committed to increase its support for creative businesses to access the finance they need to grow.Our number one mission is to grow the economy, and our creative industries are a British success story with a big part to play, said Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves. Building on our plans to boost our AI sector, this is another step as we go further and faster to deliver growth so we can put more money in peoples pockets.The Culture Secretary and Foreign Secretary David Lammy also confirmed the membership of a new Soft Power Council, which will act as an advisory board to the UK Government. Members include former rower and chair of UK Sport Katherine Grainger, former athlete and television presenter Baroness Grey-Thompson, and V&A director Tristram Hunt.Soft power is fundamental to the UKs impact and reputation around the world, said Lammy. I am often struck by the enormous love and respect which our music, sport and educational institutions generate on every continent. But we have not taken a sufficiently strategic approach to these huge assets as a country. Harnessing soft power effectively can help to build relationships, deepen trust, enhance our security and drive economic growth.Source: Animation UK Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.