Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that arts organisations in Northumberland and other rural areas are able to benefit from international cultural export opportunities.

The Government is committed to ensuring that creative organisations across the UK, including those in rural areas such as Northumberland, can grow and benefit from international opportunities.

DCMS works closely with sector partners, including the British Council and Arts Council England (ACE), to support international cultural collaboration and export activity. ACE is DCMS’s largest arm’s length body and the principal funder and national development agency for Arts organisations in England and supports the international ambitions of artists and organisations wanting to tour and collaborate abroad.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan committed to strengthening government and industry collaboration on international trade and investment. The plan identifies the North East as an area with significant potential for creative industries growth and the North East Combined Authority has received £25m as part of the Creative Places Growth Programme to fund initiatives to grow the creative industries in the region, including in Northumberland, according to local priorities.

We have more recently established the Creative Trade Forum to help grow creative exports, attract investment and tackle barriers to international growth.