The UK Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, published on June 23, 2025, presents an ambitious blueprint to expand the nation’s creative economy from £17 billion to £31 billion annually by 2035. It highlights high-profile sectors like film, TV, music, gaming, and design as drivers of growth and innovation.
However, amidst this broad vision, dance, an essential and lively part of the creative landscape, barely features in the document. The word “dance” appears CERO times in over 80 pages, and once again has been tucked within broader categories such as “performing arts.” This lack of explicit recognition is more than an oversight; it raises urgent questions about whether dance as an art form, industry, and economic contributor is truly valued within the government’s investment and strategic priorities. Is it fair to assume that the “creative industries” label automatically ensures equitable attention and resources for all its parts? Or does this broad approach risk marginalising dance beyond recognition?
The dance sector’s invisibility in the Sector Plan highlights a larger issue: the need to distinguish the “creative industries” in policies and investment. While the Plan discusses the gaming industries, advertising, music, and digital innovation extensively, it overlooks the unique infrastructure, talent pipelines, and innovation challenges faced by dance companies and organisations, from renowned international dance companies to vital regional hubs like the Acosta Dance Foundation. This isn’t just a cultural oversight; it’s a business and social equity gap. Dance supports local economies, boosts global cultural exports, innovates with emerging technologies like VR and AI, and plays key roles in health, wellbeing, and community cohesion. If dance is vaguely grouped under broad categories without targeted support, how can the sector grow, innovate, or sustain its workforce?
This gap sparks an essential conversation for policymakers, funders, and creative leaders: How do we guarantee that the Creative Industries Sector Plan’s promised investments result in real support for dance? A comprehensive creative strategy cannot be considered successful if it neglects one of its most vibrant and diverse contributors. We must challenge the assumption that “creative industries” investment automatically includes dance, and instead demand a transparent and accountable approach that advocates for dance on equal footing with other creative sectors.
© Javier Torres
