NESTA research to demonstrate role of arts in stimulating UK innovation

02/01/2007

"It's clear that the UK's vibrant arts and creative scene has a far broader impact than simply cultural - it underpins our creative economy. However, very little analysis has been done to evaluate this broader contribution."

NESTA will provide up to £200,000 to support research into the importance of the UK's arts and creative industries to innovation and the way in which idea generation in these areas impacts on the development of a knowledge economy.

The organisation will also consider research projects that analyse how collaboration between the arts and other disciplines can foster innovation; and how innovation actually occurs in the arts, identifying how new ideas develop, push boundaries and find their way into the mainstream creative industries.

The research will be used to help shape NESTA's interventions in the arts and creative industries - to support the creative economy and innovation in these sectors. In turn, NESTA aims to demonstrate the broader economic and social impact of these interventions to government and beyond.

The £200,000 will be split across two to three individual projects, expected to last between 3-12 months.

Chris Powell, NESTA's Chair, said: "It's clear that the UK's vibrant arts and creative scene has a far broader impact than simply cultural - it underpins our creative economy. However, very little analysis has been done to evaluate this broader contribution."

According to Jonathan Kestenbaum, CEO of NESTA: "As the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review starts to breed the inevitable fears over tightening public purse strings, this research promises to provide much needed evidence to encourage investment in both the creative industries, and the critical juncture where the arts, science and technology meet as a key to a culture of innovation".

NESTA spokespeople are available for comment and interview. Please contact our press office on 020 7438 2643 or 07958635913

NESTA is the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts. With endowed funds of over £300m, NESTA is the UK's largest early-stage investor in innovative and creative businesses.