At the beginning of November, Creative UK launched Redesigning Freelancing, a collective initiative shaped by members and partners across the UK creative landscape to empower freelance workers and organisations to drive change and build greater equality into freelance workforce.
The initiative is working in partnership with nine Combined Authorities to reach creative communities across the UK and to understand the challenges that freelancers face locally as well as nationally. Liverpool’s March For The Arts, Sky, BFI, IPSE, Freelancer Club, Scottish Ballet, Society of Authors and many others are getting behind the survey, which aims to shape industry standards, drive change and futureproof all parts of the work environment for freelancers across the sector to create greater long-term value and sustainability into the freelance ecology.
March for the Arts is a collective dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of the arts. They champion those who work in arts industries and campaign positively about the power of the arts to improve lives. Read more about March For The Arts here.
Creative UK’s goal is simple: to cultivate a world where creativity is championed, valued, and fundamentally nurtured.
Caroline Norbury OBE, CEO of Creative UK said:
“Freelancers are the backbone of the Creative Industries. Yet economic uncertainty means we risk losing the next generation of creative freelancers – particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. We can already see that freelancers are leaving the sector, with skills gaps becoming a major issue across all parts of the UK. However, being a freelancer can be a rewarding career, allowing for greater flexibility and variety. It is our collective responsibility to ensure more is done to protect our freelancers, integrate them with organisations in order to build better partnerships and make sure there is a fair and equal playing field. This survey will help us to identify the key priorities that need action now.”
Neil Peplow, Director of Industry and International Affairs, BFI said:
“The BFI welcomes this survey, which recognises that freelancers face many challenges and that they may work across different creative industries. Film and TV employs a high proportion of freelance workers who help make the UK a world-class production location. As highlighted in the BFI Skills Review 2022, it is vital that these freelancers are supported to progress and develop their careers if the UK is to grow and retain a highly skilled workforce.”
Are you a freelancer or do you employ freelancers?
Here’s your chance to have your say in the UK’s largest freelance survey, aiming to improve working conditions and drive industry change.
The survey takes approximately 5 minutes and it would be great to have as many people as possible from as many arts disciplines as possible to take part across the Liverpool City Region.
Take part in the Redesigning Freelancing survey now. The survey is open until 27 January 2023.