Invest in Swindon and Wiltshire showcases thriving creative industries sector in the region

Why are so many great businesses such as Dignus Films and Photonica moving to Swindon and Wiltshire?

Swindon and Wiltshire are home to a number of brilliant creative companies, demonstrating the skilled workforce and opportunities available for those looking to move into the area, and join their thriving creative sector.

Pre-Covid-19, the creative industries sector in the UK was growing more than five times faster than the national economy, with a contribution of more than £111bn to the UK economy in 2018. And with projects and developments such as The Create Studios at Carriage Works and a 7000 sq ft creative media facility to be developed in the Heritage Zone, Swindon and Wiltshire are at the forefront of this future-facing sector. 

There are also fantastic opportunities available to those wanting to learn and develop their creative and digital skills in the region, with Swindon & Wiltshire’s Institute of Technology, backed by a huge £20m capital investment, offering excellent courses and apprenticeships ranging across all creative media sectors.

The team at Invest in Swindon and Wiltshire have showcased the extraordinary talent in this field, working with Ottr Works to produce a video demonstrating the skills and fantastic work that already takes place in the region. Watch the video here: bit.ly/3rbo8SA

Ben Lawton, Director of Operations at Ottr Works commented, “Being a creative company in Swindon and Wiltshire is massive, there is so much unchecked and untapped potential coming out of the woodwork that I see each and every day. There seems to be filmmakers, photographers, storytellers, artists, musicians and so much more rising from the youth of today, it fills me with excitement for what’s to come, and who’s to take over.” 

Matinai, a boutique animation studio based in Wiltshire said, “Having lived and worked in London, we found that living and working in Wiltshire has been very inspiring creatively, and we love the relaxed pace of life, countryside and friendly community that surrounds us. We hope to inspire the younger generation of creatives and animators in the area, that there are many opportunities in the region, and especially during this time with zoom and online networking being the new norm, the big smoke appears no longer the be-all and end-all for working in creative media.” 

Keiren Spencer, founder of Allsorts Creative said, “After establishing Allsorts Creative last year during Covid-19, after my previous position at a local creative agency, I hope to connect and network more locally as the restrictions ease. However, being based in Swindon, it’s perfectly balanced. Situated on the M4 corridor and with railway connections to Bath, Bristol, Oxford and London, this makes it easy to reach out to prospective clients.”

Andrew Wells, Economic Development Officer for Inward Investment at Swindon Borough Council commented, “The UK is a global leader in the Creative Industries and produces entertainment, art, culture which the whole world enjoys. With amazing talent and space in Swindon and Wiltshire, we know first-hand how appealing the region is to creative industries,and are keen to help and support more companies in this sector to move to the region.”

The Inward Investment teams at Swindon Borough Council, Wiltshire Council and the Swindon and Wiltshire LEP, working together under the Invest in Swindon and Wiltshire brand, are thrilled to see the success in the growing creative sector, and with the new facilities, investments and increasing talented workforce, are looking forward to more success and developments here in the future. 

For more information, and to find out more about how the Inward Investment teams can help your business, please contact: Andrew Wells Swindon Borough Council via [email protected].