Creative Wales Industry Survey: 2025

The Creative Wales Industry Survey assesses business performance, business confidence, and skills gaps in the Welsh creative industries.

This report was commissioned under a previous government. The policy direction and priorities detailed within the report may not reflect those of the current government.

This survey covers a sample of businesses and freelancers from the screen, music, digital and publishing sectors in Wales. It follows 3 previous surveys conducted in 2022, 2023, and 2024, allowing comparisons to be drawn between years and helping to identify trends over time. However, it is noted that the sample sizes differ in terms of sector representation and consideration should therefore be given when comparing some of the results.

Main findings

The survey was completed by 604 respondents across the regions of Wales, from the sectors:

digital (31%)
music (30%)
publishing (22%)
screen (17%)

When asked about employment status:

48% of respondents identified as business owners or directors
24% identified as self-employed
20% identified as employees
8% identified as freelancers

Business turnover trends remain largely unchanged from 2024, with:

25% of businesses reporting increased turnover
25% experiencing a decrease
50% seeing no change

Rising costs were a frequently cited factor contributing to changes in turnover in 2025, particularly amongst freelancers and smaller organisations.

Respondents were more confident than not about running their business profitably next year. The digital sector showed the highest confidence compared with lower levels in the screen and music sectors.

Around 8 in 10 respondents (79%) reported receiving no external funding in the last financial year. Among those who had accessed funding, the most common sources were:

Creative Wales or Welsh Government
council grants
Arts Council of Wales

In 2025, 78% of businesses reported no recruitment activity in the previous 12 months. Where recruitment did take place, it was mostly through word of mouth, online sources, and social media. Among those recruiting, skills shortages and pay constraints were frequently reported challenges.

The most common areas of skills gaps were:

sector-specific technical skills
digital and technology skills
marketing and branding
management and leadership

Awareness of Creative Wales remains high at 71% in 2025, consistent with previous years (67% in 2024 and 61% in 2023).

Future priorities for support include:

financial support (43%)
networking opportunities (20%)
help with marketing, promotion and visibility (19%)
business support and advice (13%)

Reports