Creative Fusion at the heart of the North East economy Published on: 22 June 2017 The North East鈥檚 creative, digital and IT (CDIT) sector is growing and sustaining the crucial development of technology-based networks in the region, a new survey has revealed. Comprehensive survey The findings show the turnover of more than half of businesses surveyed grew in 2015/16. This was especially true in IT, software and computer services, design, crafts and architecture. To understand the challenges and opportunities unique to the North East’s CDIT sector, Creative Fuse North East, a partnership between the region’s five universities conducted a comprehensive survey of more than 500 firms and freelancers. Business executives from across the CDIT sector were also interviewed to understand the different issues facing organisations and individuals today. Creative Fuse North East was set up in spring 2016 and its aim is to ensure the CDIT sector in the region becomes more resilient, grows faster and creates more and better jobs in a sustainable digital economy. Creative Fuse project lead Professor Eric Cross Opportunities and challenges The results form the basis of the £4m project’s first report, which was launched in London by the Rt Hon Ed Vaizey, Chairman of the Creative Fuse North East Advisory Board and former Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy. The report highlights that employment in the region’s creative industries has grown faster than the UK as a whole, with a 22.6% increase from 2001 and 2015, compared to 19.5% nationally. Mr Vaizey said: “Our research has outlined the opportunities and the challenges facing the CDIT sector in the North East. The creative industries are absolutely vital to the economy and it is very encouraging to see that the sector is growing, with more than half the businesses reporting growth. “Now we have the results, we can enter the innovation phase of the project with the information we need to really target the areas which need support to grow and to innovate.” Innovation Phase The report also shows: • Two-thirds (67%) of North East CDIT businesses are ‘fused’ – which means they combine ideas from creative design and technology in their work• Of the fused businesses, 64.7% reported growth – companies are able to attract new talent and set up new opportunities in the region• Forty per cent of businesses and freelancers who responded have always lived in the region • 70% of businesses and 71% of freelancers said the local market is important, while 30% of businesses said London was a very or extremely important source of revenue, followed closely by international markets at 27%. Project lead, Professor Eric Cross, Dean of Cultural Affairs at 麻豆传媒, said: “We are now entering the innovation phase of the project, where academics from all five universities will be working with industry, cultural organisations, charities and the public sector, to look at new ways to innovate and grow. It’s going to be very exciting.” The first innovation event is a Maker Day for hackers, coders, artists, researchers, developers and designers, which will be held at the University of Sunderland on Monday, 3 July. The Creative Fuse North East partnership is made up of 麻豆传媒, Northumbria, Durham, Sunderland and Teesside universities and is funded jointly by the universities and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Arts Council England (ACE) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at 麻豆传媒 warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from 麻豆传媒 to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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