British creative industries back remain in Europe

Nearly 300 of Britain’s biggest creative industries names including fashion designers Vivienne Westwood, Katharine Hamnett, Bella Freud, and Patrick Grant, have signed a letter supporting the ‘Stronger In’ campaign to keep the UK in the European Union, ahead of the referendum on June 23.

The open letter features signatories across fashion, film, music, theatre, literature, dance, design, the arts, including Daniel Rubin, executive chairman of the Dune Group, jewellery designer Annoushka Ducas, menswear designer Daniel Fletcher, designers Hussein Chalayan and Kit Neale, British Vogue’s editor in chief Alexandra Shulman, and model Laura Bailey.

The letter describes the referendum as “the biggest democratic decision of our time” and argues that leaving the EU would “lasting and far-reaching consequences for the future of this country for generations to come,” especially for the creative industries that employs close to 3 million people.

The ‘Stronger In’ campaign states that access to different markets within the EU and EU funding, as well as free movement of talent are among the main reasons to stay, as well as to keep the creative industries, which the letter states has been one of the fast growing sectors of the UK economy since 2008, to keep growing. Last year the creative industries added 84.1 billion pounds GVA to the economy last year.

Fashion designers including Vivienne Westwood back ‘Stronger In’ campaign

The letter adds that the EU is the largest export market for the UK creative industries, totalling 56 percent of all overseas trade in the sector, and that the UK has been benefiting from the European Commission’s 80 million euros, Horizon 2020 innovation fund, which gives money to various creative projects.

“Britain is not just stronger in Europe, it is more imaginative and more creative and our global creative success would be severely weakened by walking away,” the letter states. “From the Bard to Bowie, British creativity inspires and influences the rest of the world. We believe that being part of the EU bolsters Britain’s leading role on the world stage.”

In addition, the Creative Industries Federation also placed its weight behind the ‘stay in’ Europe campaign, by releasing a survey stating that 96 percent of its members support the UK’s stay in the European Union.

Sir John Sorrell, chairman of the Creative Industries Federation, said: “The UK creative industries are key to the way we are seen by the world and deliver a massive 84.1 billion pounds to our economy. Our position as a vital European creative hub is a huge part of this success - we benefit from a vast network of talented people, companies and institutions across Europe.”

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