Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said the news was "fantastic" but not surprising as "British music is legendary around the world". He added, "Festivals like Glastonbury hold an iconic status on the world music scene and are one of the reasons why international tourism is booming in the UK, drawing in streams of visitors to all parts of the country. We know our UK creative industries contribute an astonishing £76.9bn to the UK economy but this report confirms they are truly world-class and a powerful advert for the UK."
Researchers also found a 39% rise in the number of overseas tourists travelling to the UK for music over the last four years. UK Music is made up of industry groups representing musicians, songwriters, record labels and studio producers among others.
Digital Demands - The digital and creative sector will need 1.2m new workers by 2022 in order to keep up with its growth, according to a new report. The research, published by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, suggests fairer access to jobs and a more diverse workforce would help the sector find 1.2 million new employees, which is equivalent to half the current workforce. About 2.1 million people are employed in digital and creative sector jobs in the UK, of which the report found almost half to be in London or the south-east. The creative sector includes the arts and entertainment, broadcasting and film.
Separately, London and the south-east make up the two largest sections of digital and creative employment, followed by the east of England and the north-west, which the report said had seen considerable growth. Northern Ireland and Wales account for the smallest portion of digital and creative employment, measuring 2% each.
According to the report, called Sector Insights: Skills and Performance Challenges in the Digital and Creative Sector, tax reliefs implemented by the government have resulted in an increasing trend to produce films and television shows in regions outside London, but warned that these efforts are sometimes hindered by a lack of skills away from the capital.
Musical Chairs - Pop star Rita Ora and BBC Radio 1 presenter Nick Grimshaw have signed up as judges for the 12th series of The X Factor, producers have confirmed. Grimshaw, who hosts Radio 1's breakfast show, replaces Louis Walsh, taking his seat beside show creator Simon Cowell and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini. Ora fills the fourth chair, jumping ship from BBC One's The Voice after just one series. The singer previously appeared as a guest judge on The X Factor in 2012.
Royal Winner - Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum Theatre dominated at the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland, winning in six categories. The Lyceum picked up four awards for its production of Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle, including best production and best direction for Mark Thomson in his penultimate year as the theatre's artistic director.
Elsewhere, theatre company Catherine Wheels claimed its sixth best production for children and young people award, for The Voice Thief, which it has just announced it is reviving at the Edinburgh fringe. Best new play went to Martin McCormick for Squash presented by the Traverse Theatre Company. Judges also issued a special CATS Whiskers award to Glasgow-based youth company Junction 25, "for outstanding achievement in pioneering and high-quality work by young people".
(Jim Evans)
