Home Cultural Consumption Shifts During Eased Lockdown: The Transformation of Our At-Home Entertainment Preferences
The creative and cultural sectors in the UK have weathered the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and are poised for recovery and growth, according to a comprehensive analysis by the Creative PEC.
The policy brief, which examines international trade in the UK's creative industries, delves into areas such as television production, pressures to consolidate, and potential policy actions in Skills, Jobs, and Education. The study, continued beyond the initial six-week period during lockdown, also explores the impact of COVID-19 on people's cultural consumption as they spend less time at home and as some cultural and creative institutions begin to reopen.
Week 8 of the study, conducted from 3rd-9th August 2020, found that the creative industries had a combined footprint of £178 billion GVA in 2019, supporting 3.5 million jobs (over 1 in 10 UK jobs). Despite the disruption caused by the pandemic, sectors such as IT and software (including video games) were least affected.
New data from Creative Industries Federation and Creative England suggests that with a 20% increase in investment over 2019 levels, the sector could create 300,000 new jobs and grow to £132.1 billion GVA by 2025.
The pandemic has altered how people consume culture, shifting more activities to the home. This presents opportunities and challenges for the sector’s business models. The UK government recognizes the challenges exacerbated by the pandemic, including rising production costs, financing barriers, freelance work difficulties, and mental health issues in sectors like film and television. Strategies include support through programs like the BFI NETWORK for emerging filmmakers and investments in skills and diversity.
However, cultural organizations have faced funding cuts at the local government level post-pandemic, with Arts Council resources and council budgets reduced, impacting the voluntary sector that supports cultural provision. The pandemic has also heightened awareness about the social role and value of the arts, emphasizing a need for critical reassessment and support for sector worker conditions.
The study, commissioned by the PEC and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and conducted by AudienceNet, aimed to understand how people were consuming digital content at home during the COVID-19 lockdown and how their habits of cultural consumption had changed. People continued to spend the most amount of time watching TV (median of four hours a day), followed by video games (three hours per day), film (2.5 hours per day), and music (two hours a day). Since lockdown restrictions began to ease in early July, there was an increase in people downloading content, which was largely sustained in early August.
E-books and audiobooks remained at two hours per day and digital magazines at one hour. The sectors of film, music, TV, video games, publishing, theatre performances, and digital art were followed during the study.
As the creative and cultural industries transition towards sustainable theatre production and adapt to changed consumption patterns, increased investment, supportive policies, and a critical reassessment of sector worker conditions will be crucial for a strong and resilient recovery.
- The analysis by the Creative PEC revealed that the UK's creative industries are prepared for recovery and growth, despite the initial impact of COVID-19.
- The policy brief investigates various aspects, including policy actions in Skills, Jobs, and Education within television production and the pressures to consolidate.
- The study, extending beyond the initial lockdown period, examined the influence of COVID-19 on cultural consumption and the reopening of creative institutions.
- The combined economic contribution of the creative industries was £178 billion GVA in 2019, supporting 3.5 million jobs, according to Week 8 of the study.
- Sectors such as IT and software, including video games, were least affected by the pandemic's disruptions.
- With a 20% increase in investment over 2019 levels, the sector could create 300,000 new jobs and grow to £132.1 billion GVA by 2025, as suggested by new data from Creative Industries Federation and Creative England.
- The pandemic has led to a shift in cultural consumption towards home-based activities, posing opportunities and challenges for the sector's business models.
- The UK government acknowledges the challenges exacerbated by the pandemic, such as rising production costs, financing barriers, and mental health issues in film and television.
- Strategies to support the sector include programs for emerging filmmakers, investments in skills and diversity, and addressing freelance work difficulties.
- Cultural organizations have faced funding cuts at the local government level post-pandemic, impacting the voluntary sector that supports cultural provision, as well as arts council resources and council budgets.
- As the creative and cultural industries transition towards sustainable theatre production and adjust to changed consumption patterns, increased investment, supportive policies, a critical reassessment of sector worker conditions, and emphasis on the social role and value of the arts will be essential for a strong and resilient recovery, encompassing sectors like food-and-drink, lifestyle, home-and-garden, global cuisines, and education. The study, commissioned by the PEC and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and conducted by AudienceNet, also explored how people's habits of digital content consumption had changed during the COVID-19 lockdown.
