Our latest Annual Impact Report highlights the positive impact of our programmes on the UK’s creative economy, while also revealing the challenges facing artists and small creative businesses. 

Our Annual Impact Report shows how Creative United delivered a significant return on the public investment it received in 2025/26, supporting around 13,500 creative livelihoods across the UK. In 2025/26 our publicly funded programmes generated over £6.5 million in sales, supporting around 13,500 artists, musicians and nano creative enterprises across the UK. This represents an impressive £9 return for every £1 of public investment for the creative economy. 

This year we listened closely to artists, musicians and small creative businesses, and investigated the challenges they face, from nano businesses operating below the radar of government policy to the gap between making art and making a living. We then turned that evidence into practical action.

Mary-Alice Stack, Chief Executive of Creative United said:  

“Creative livelihoods must be supported and sustainable if we want a thriving and inclusive creative economy. 

“In 2025/26 we shone a light on how artists, musicians and nano creative enterprises are continuing to do great work but in increasingly challenging economic conditions. Our research highlighted the issues. Our interventions are making a difference, generating vital incremental income and support for creative enterprises, and delivering a significant return on our public funding investment. 

“But more needs to be done. We urge everyone to join us this #Nanovember in supporting and recognising these smallest of small enterprises, which are the backbone of the creative economy.” 

Throughout 2025/26, we continued to listen to the needs and challenges facing the creative sector, identifying opportunities to strengthen our support for creative businesses, artists and musicians. In response to this we launched three significant innovations designed to address emerging challenges, improve access to opportunities and provide more targeted support to help creative livelihoods thrive: 

Nano enterprise support: We developed Re:Create GrowthCamp to provide targeted support for nano creative enterprises, responding to the 10% annual closure rate highlighted in our Below the Radar research (March 2026). 

Report author and Creative United Chair, Susie Warran-Smith explains why this initiative is so important: 

“These businesses are absolute heroes but very, very vulnerable. Recognising nanos formally and treating them as the backbone they actually are is one of the simplest, most measurable growth levers available in the UK.” 

Artist support: We doubled the amount art buyers could borrow through an interest-free Own Art loan, making it easier for more people to purchase original art while creating greater sales opportunities for artists and galleries. This was in response to findings from Coventry University research (February 2026), which highlighted the challenges of low artist incomes. 

Artist Sveta Maini was clear about what this change meant for her:  

“I think [the threshold change] is going to change my life.” 

Accessible music support: We helped reduce the barriers to making music for disabled musicians with the launch of the Guide to Buying Adaptive Musical Instruments – the only resource of its kind in the UK. 

Professional musician Clarence Adoo said:  

“My hope is that many people are able to access an accessible instrument. If it’s tweaked in the right way, it can give you a sense of freedom and better technique.” 

Our Annual Impact Report shares the stories, insights and outcomes of our work, told directly by the creative professionals whose livelihoods we’ve helped to sustain.  

Read the full report here. 

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