Ian Murray MP has championed a £500 million funding package for the creative industries.
Speaking at the MusicFutures showcase at the Arena and Convention Centre in Liverpool, Mr. Murray encouraged regions to bid for funding in the upcoming wave of the Creative Clusters programme.
The scheme has helped boost Liverpool City Region’s music innovation sector, and in 2024 LCR was awarded nearly £7 million to build on the region’s much renowned global musical status.
This event was co-hosted by MusicFutures and Liverpool City Region and showcased the impact of the money invested into local creative industries by the government.
Speaking to MerseyNewsLive, Mr. Murray said: “Liverpool has a huge music and creative industries heritage.
“Liverpool provided the soundtrack to the world, but we need to provide the soundtrack to the future of the world as well.”
As the government attempts to deliver the next phase of its Creative Industries Sector Plan, Mr. Murray has called on regions across the country to bid for an additional £27 million in funding to grow their own creative industries and replicate Liverpool’s success.
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said: “Music has always been a huge part of our area’s identity, we’re bursting with talent- which is why we invested £2 million in the Liverpool City Region Music Board.
“What we’re now seeing is what’s possible when government backs that creativity with real ambition.”
Founded using investment from the Creative Clusters programme, MusicFutures is a five-year initiative led by the University of Liverpool to establish the region as a global hub for music innovation, technology, and sustainability.
Launched last year in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University, it focuses on R&D, skills training, and Artificial Intelligence/Virtual Reality development for the sector.
The project engages 21 national and regional music sector partners in order to drive growth and employment, emboldening Liverpool’s status as the UK’s hub for music innovation.
@merseynewslive A students’ thoughts on the recent MusicFutures showcase held at the ACC musicfutures liverpool fyp
