Consumption patterns of culture within the UK in the context of COVID-19 lockdowns

In these unprecedented times, the creative industries in the UK have been undergoing significant changes, as reported by a recent survey conducted by the British Council, Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, and research agency AudienceNet.

The survey, which questioned individuals about five content categories - Music, Film, TV, Video Games, and E-publishing, as well as non-traditional digital activities like watching filmed performances of theatre, concerts, and dance shows online - has revealed some intriguing findings.

One of the most notable changes is the increase in the percentage of individuals reporting having downloaded or accessed video games online in the previous three months. This figure stands at 28%, a marked rise from the 22% reported in March/April 2019. This trend for streaming content has continued to grow rapidly in importance compared with downloading, particularly in the case of music, where 43% report to having streamed in the past week alone.

The survey also sheds light on the impact of COVID-19 on mental wellbeing. In the first week's survey (9th to 19th April 2020), it was found that the crisis has had a notable impact, with a drop in satisfaction and feelings of worth and happiness, while feelings of anxiety have increased substantially.

Professor Nick Wilson and Professor Dave O'Brien have contributed to the discussion, with Wilson discussing the Equity Gap in Britain's Creative Industries, and O'Brien emphasising the importance of higher education to the arts, culture, and heritage sectors. Dr Josh Siepe has also joined the conversation, discussing the co-location of the Creative Industries with other industrial strategy priority sectors.

The 2025 Spending Review has implications for the creative industries, and the Creative Industries Sector Plan has made several key sector-wide announcements. The Global Creative Economy Council is aiming to unsettle and reorder the creative economy, with Marta Foresti taking the helm as the Council's Chair.

The survey findings highlight that all categories of content play an important role in helping people deal with challenging life circumstances such as the COVID-19 crisis. Consumers are embracing a range of non-traditional content since the crisis started, with watching filmed performances of theatre, concerts, and dance shows online seeing the biggest percentage share of respondents reporting to either consume this content more frequently or for the first time.

Individuals report spending significant amounts of time consuming cultural content each day, with the median time spent by consumers of each content category being: Music: three hours, Film: three hours, TV: four hours, Video games: three hours, Books: two hours. These consumers also report to spend roughly double on downloading games using services like Apple App Store, Google Play, Playstation, Xbox Store, or Steam than consumers using paid for subscription services for music, film, and TV.

The study builds upon the IPO's Online Copyright Infringement (OCI) Tracker Survey, which has been running since 2012, and a study is being conducted by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC), Intellectual Property Office (IPO), and research agency AudienceNet to follow a cohort of 1,000 consumers over a six-week period.

In conclusion, the creative industries continue to contribute billions of pounds to the UK economy through physical engagement with consumers, but the shift towards digital consumption is undeniable. As we navigate the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis, it is clear that the creative industries will play a crucial role in helping people cope and find solace.

This article was written by Professor Hasan Bakhshi MBE, Professor of Economics of the Creative Industries and Director of Creative PEC.

Consumption patterns of culture within the UK in the context of COVID-19 lockdowns