Plymouth has always been a city on the edge – of the country, of history, of innovation. It has been a launchpad for exploration, a testing ground for new ideas, and a place where bold things happen quietly.
Yet, for all its pioneering spirit in areas like marine innovation, environmental science, and naval technology, the city has often underestimated the power of its creative industries.
At Analogy, we know this because we live and work here. From our base in Plymouth and SE Cornwall, we see the city’s creative potential every day. We work with clients who are instrumental in shaping its future – not least those at Royal William Yard, a striking example of how Plymouth’s past and future can co-exist.
So when a new Creative Industries Plan sets out a vision for Plymouth’s creative economy, it’s more than just a policy document. It asks ‘what kind of place does Plymouth want to be?’
The case for creativity in Plymouth
There’s no doubt that the UK’s creative industries are becoming an economic powerhouse – contributing £124.6 billion to the economy in 2022 and growing twice as fast as other sectors. The South West, in particular, has seen one of the fastest rates of creative job growth in the country.
Yet Plymouth hasn’t kept pace. Creative industries account for just 2.1% of jobs here – less than half the national average. The sector is fragmented, lacking the kind of clusters, investment, and infrastructure that allow creative businesses to thrive. The Creative Industries Plan is an attempt to change that – to move creativity from the margins to the centre of Plymouth’s identity and economy.
The new plan lays out a strategy for change, built on four key ideas:
- Creating dedicated creative clusters – so businesses and freelancers are less isolated
- Strengthening the connection between creativity and technology – doubling the number of IT professionals and digital businesses
- Making Plymouth’s creative economy more visible – so it is recognised as a driver of innovation and investment
- Supporting businesses at every stage of growth – so more creative enterprises survive and scale.
What kind of city does Plymouth want to be?
This is also about more than jobs and investment, it’s about identity. At Analogy we can see the potential for Plymouth to become a city that feels alive with culture, storytelling, and innovation. We know that when cities invest in creativity, the benefits spill over into urban regeneration, community resilience, and long-term economic transformation.
From the ocean to the arts: a legacy of bold thinking
For a long time, Plymouth has been at the forefront of marine innovation, defence technology and environmental science, pioneering advances that have had national and global impact. Some of its greatest strengths like in maritime exploration, marine research and sustainability, with the city being home to world-renowned institutions like Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the Marine Biological Association, leading global ocean research.
Plymouth also has creative strengths, but these successes exist in pockets, rather than as part of a thriving, interconnected creative economy.
The Market Hall immersive dome is the only one of its kind in Europe, a facility at the cutting edge of digital arts and interactive media. Theatre Royal Plymouth is one of the UK’s most influential regional theatres, producing world-class work that reaches international audiences. And The Box has redefined what a regional museum can be, merging history, art, and digital storytelling into a major cultural destination.
And yet, unlike marine science or defence, where Plymouth has built an ecosystem that attracts investment and talent, the creative industries haven’t been developed at the same scale, or with the same strategic intent.
The fact that Arts University Plymouth, one of the top arts universities in the country, produces graduates who often leave the city to build their careers is a symptom of this disconnect. The Box, Theatre Royal, and Market Hall are incredible assets, but they don’t yet form part of a larger creative cluster that fuels business growth and economic resilience.
The opportunity is there, but it will take a shift in mindset – one that sees creativity not just as something Plymouth does well in certain areas, but as a major driver of the city’s future economy and identity.
The role of strategic communications, PR and marketing in making this happen
It’s not enough to have policies, funding initiative and infrastructure in place. People need to buy into the vision. Investors need to see the potential. Creative professionals need to feel that staying in Plymouth is a viable, exciting choice.
Our role as strategic communications, PR and marketing professionals isn’t just about promoting individual businesses, venues or projects – it’s about shaping the narrative of Plymouth as a creative city.
Right now, if you ask someone outside of the South West to name a UK creative hub outside of London, they’ll likely say Manchester, Brighton, Bristol, Leeds or Edinburgh. Plymouth doesn’t yet make that list.
PR and communications professionals can help Plymouth get noticed on the national and international stage by:
- Getting Plymouth’s creative economy into national conversations – through thought leadership that encourages key decision-makers and investors to see Plymouth as an opportunity
- Building stronger narratives around Plymouth’s creative innovation – showing that it’s a forward-looking city, pushing boundaries in digital media, immersive technology, and creative placemaking
- Helping local creative businesses build their own profiles – so they are seen beyond Devon and Cornwall, attracting more funding, partnerships and talent.
Strategic communications can help bridge the gap between creativity and other industries – highlighting how creative talent supports innovation in tech, tourism, education and urban regeneration.
We can promote the city’s creative ecosystem to incoming students, freelancers and businesses, helping to create a sense of excitement and possibility so that people can see a future for themselves here.
Strategic communications can help build a culture where the public actively engages with and supports creative work, by fostering a sense of ownership and pride in Plymouth’s creative future, so that the momentum behind this plan doesn’t just come from policymakers, but from the people who live and work here.
Because if we don’t shape the narrative, who will?
