Town named as creative hotspot

The Geography of Creativity study named the East Sussex town as being among 47 creative clusters across the UK that show a high concentration of firms and growth in this sector.

Produced by innovation charity Nesta and not-for profit organisation Creative England, the report found that in addition to more-established clusters like London and Brighton, other areas are starting to have a significant impact.

Hastings has 654 creative companies, representing 9.4 per cent of total businesses in the town and providing employment for 1,319 people.

Philip Johnson, director of Locate East Sussex, the business support service funded by local authorities, welcomed the news.

He said: “It’s no surprise to see Hastings getting this national recognition for being places where creative businesses thrive. Locally, we are well aware of the vital contribution creative industries make to the county’s economic growth and prosperity. East Sussex is clearly a place with a rich creative community and somewhere that offers creative companies the space to think and grow.”

Wave graphic design co-operative is among the growing number of creative companies in Hastings.

Diana Harman, of Wave, said: “Hastings is a great place for creative people to work. We increasingly feel there are more and more complimentary talents and skills in Hastings that we can offer to our third sector clients.”

The Geography of Creativity report says that creative industries such as design, digital, music, performing arts, film, television and radio, accounted for 1.9 million jobs nationwide in 2015, on average more than 28 per cent more workers than seven years ago.

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