RESEARCH has revealed that the creative and digital industries in York are “thriving.”

Science City York, part of Make It York, has been mapping the creative and digital businesses in York and the surrounding area to find out how well the sector is doing in the area. To date the research has found 1,516 businesses involved in the creative industries.

The research forms part of Science City York’s Creative Strategy 2018 - 2023 to foster innovation and promote York as a place for the creative and digital sector to thrive.

The 1,516 businesses found so far encompasses companies, self-employed professionals, and organisations that support their growth such as arts venues, networks and business facilities.

The database covers York city, Harrogate and Scarborough and the villages in the YO postcode areas to get an idea of where creative professionals are located across the North Yorkshire region.

The high number of active businesses mark an exciting step forward for the creative strategy, which is aiming to raise the profile of creativity in York and ensure the sector keeps growing.

“It’s really exciting to see that the creative and digital industries in York are thriving,” Heather Niven, head of Science City York, said.

“The numbers show that York is fostering innovation and we want to make sure people know about all the exciting businesses based in the local area.”

The list of businesses will be used to map the creative industry in York and identify creative clusters in the city. By identifying the key clusters and networks in the area, Science City York aims to showcase York innovation and create a talent pipeline to attract new professionals, support the existing talent in the local area and foster collaboration and networking. Research is still ongoing and Science City York believes there are many more creative and digital businesses in the area yet to be added to the database. They are asking professionals in the sector to reach out and help them build a comprehensive map of the industry in Yorkshire. They also want to hear about the challenges Yorkshire-based companies face and develop ideas for how to address these issues and build a strong community of creativity. This includes companies in the creative sector, freelancers and those who are working in a creative profession embedded in a non-creative industry. Science City York is circulating a survey for professionals to complete about their business. Complete it here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2F5KW76.