Report Exposes Lack of Diversity in Creative and Cultural Industries Leadership

A new report from Creative UK highlights systemic gaps in leadership diversity across the UK’s cultural and creative industries. The study, Leadership Diversity in the Creative & Cultural Industries, compiles data from multiple sources, including Arts Council England, Creative Diversity Network, Creative PEC, and the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID).

The findings show that, with the exception of LGB+ leaders, no underrepresented group has equitable leadership representation. Women, disabled people, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, and those from working-class origins remain significantly excluded from senior roles.

Women in leadership

Women account for nearly half the UK workforce yet remain underrepresented in leadership. In video games, they hold only 21% of Director/CEO roles and 30% of managerial posts. In design, they occupy 25% of managerial positions, and in designer fashion just 39% of executive team roles. Within music, fewer women sustain long-term careers, with 20% earning a living over 30 years compared to 30% of men.

Ethnic minority leadership

People from ethnic minority backgrounds make up 15.9% of the UK workforce but only 9.8% of managers and directors in the cultural sector. Representation drops further in specific industries: 6% of heritage sector senior managers, 12% of film and TV executives, and just 7–11% of senior staff in VFX, animation, and post-production. In advertising, only 11% of C-suite roles are filled by ethnic minorities, while games and fashion report similarly low figures at 6–10%.

Disabled leaders

Despite representing 18% of the UK workforce, disabled people occupy only 7.7% of cultural sector management positions. They hold 8% of senior off-screen TV roles, 6.5% of film and TV directorships, and as little as 3–4% of senior positions in games. In advertising, just 9% of executives identify as disabled.

Working-class representation

Working-class people make up 35% of the wider workforce but hold only 17% of UK film and TV directorships, 10% of video game directorships, and 17% of C-suite advertising roles.

Recommendations

Creative UK stresses that leadership diversity is essential for sector growth, innovation, and sustainability. The organisation calls for stronger diversity data collection, long-term talent progression pipelines, and conditional public funding tied to inclusive governance. Building the economic case for diverse leadership is also a priority.

Sector voices

Caroline Norbury OBE, Chief Executive of Creative UK, described the report as “a line in the sand” for driving change. Sarah Gregory, Head of EDI at Creative UK, warned that lack of diversity threatens the sector’s sustainability. Industry leaders including Stella Kanu (Shakespeare’s Globe), Tom Kiehl (UK Music), and Sharon Lloyd Barnes (Advertising Association) echoed calls for data-driven action and intentional investment in inclusive leadership.

Creative UK positions this report as a catalyst for change, making clear that without decisive action, the sector will fail to reflect the society it serves.

The full report can be downloaded here.