Sri Lanka and the UK: Creative opportunities for the future

As the British Business Embassy events, held on the sidelines of the Olympic Games, got under way at Lancaster House in London, 30-31 July 2012 were dedicated to the UK’s creative industries.

Firms announced deals that could bring in up to £ 82.5m of investment, and UK Trade & Investment announced a new strategic partnership worth £ 400,000 to support the British film industry, while a UK firm announced that it had won two contracts in Malaysia to design projects with a construction value of more than £ 300 million.

The creative industry summits aimed to build partnerships between UK firms and international businesses in advertising, the media, design, architecture, fashion, films, television, publishing and games.

The star-studded gala reception on 30 July at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, hosted by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt and graced by HRH the Duchess of Cambridge and Prime Minister David Cameron, was attended by some 800 people, including representatives of the UK’s leading creative companies, industry figureheads, as well as guests from overseas businesses and organisations interested in investing in, or buying creative services from the UK. The reception was a celebration of UK culture, creativity, art and entertainment.

“The creative industries are an integral part of the UK’s economic success and future growth. We have one of the most innovative and successful advertising industries in the world as well as a strong and vibrant media sector. In addition to this, the Olympics will leave no-one in any doubt about the incredible strength of our design and architecture industries. The venues we have built to host the Games stand as testament to the UK’s talent and our ability to turn vision into reality,” said Jeremy Hunt.

The UK has the largest creative industries sector in Europe, which directly and indirectly employs 1.5 million people and generates exports worth £8.9 billion a year. The country’s advertising industry is worth £15.6 billion a year and over two-thirds of advertising agencies have their European headquarters in London. The design industry in the UK has key strengths in branding and communications; product design; building and interior designs; multimedia; web and games design. Thereby, the UK exports more than £100 million in services each year.

The UK’s fashion industry is worth £ 21 billion to the UK economy while the music sector is estimated to be worth around £ 3.8 billion a year. Films depicting the UK are responsible for attracting about one in ten overseas tourists, spending around £ 1.9 billion a year.

Sri Lanka’s involvement with the UK’s creative industries comes in many forms. UK creativity has made a significant contribution to the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF). The SLDF not only highlights the best in Sri Lankan design but also draws on international partnerships to inspire new ways of working and provide fresh input into local creative processes.

Further development of Sri Lanka’s creative industries will lead to more and better paid jobs for its craft workers and help raise the standard of living for many more. Launching the SLDF in the UK this year demonstrates the strong commitment between the two countries towards the development and growth of this sector.

While no one can predict the outcome of current economic turbulence, there is every indication that traditional UK companies such as Marks and Spencer, Next, George of Asda, etc. will continue to see Sri Lanka as a primary source of quality, affordable clothing.

The UK is also an open and conducive environment for foreign designers wishing to set up their businesses and retails stores. Given the ability for successful Sri Lankan designer outlets such as Buddhi Batiks and KT Brown to sell their work to UK outlets and boutiques, this important strand of the UK-Sri Lanka’s bilateral trade partnership looks set to grow even closer.

Following the royal engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2010, jewellers in the UK reported a marked increase in demand for sapphire rings and Sri Lanka’s National Gem and Jewellery Authority reported large numbers of enquiries from across the globe. The UK is amongst the top 10 purchasers of Sri Lankan gemstones.

Sri Lankan ceramics and pottery are popular in the UK. Midaya, the oldest ceramic factory in Sri Lanka, sends 65% of its high quality lines to designers and retailers in the UK. They supply to Marks and Spencer, John Lewis and Harrods. It is the same for many other products, not only ceramics, where leading UK creators come up with designs that meet the needs and desires of the UK market and expert Sri Lankan manufacturers produce the high-quality end product.

These are just a few examples of the links that the UK and Sri Lanka share in terms of creative industries. Many Sri Lankan companies continue to make use of the expertise and partner with the UK’s creative industries in taking their business ventures global. In this light, the UK Trade & Investment section of the British High Commission in Colombo is looking to further explore opportunities for UK companies in Sri Lanka while also welcoming stories from Sri Lankan companies about their successful trade partnerships with the UK.