A practical guide for supporting students into the creative industries.
Analysis by the Campaign for the Arts of the 2026 A‑level results and GCSE entries found that:
- Arts subjects now only account for 10% of all A‑level entries – a record low.
- The arts’ share of A-level entries has shrunk by 34% since 2010.
- At GCSE, the share of entries in arts subjects has declined by nearly half since 2010, although this decline has plateaued since 2023.
If we want a workforce equipped to navigate the multifaceted careers of the future, we need to stop deprioritising creative subjects.
The skills developed through creative subjects are fundamental not only to the arts, but across a wide range of careers and industries.
In 2025, the UK government launched the Modern Industrial Strategy, which included the creative industries as one of its eight strategic priorities to help the UK become a creative superpower by 2035.
To support this goal, the UK will need to foster a workforce fit for the task. As highlighted in Skills England’s initial report, there are growing skills shortages across the creative industries.
“Coming from a working‑class background and stumbling into the arts by chance over 20 years ago, I had hoped things would now be more equitable. Yet structural barriers still dictate who gets in and who does not. Creativity builds a resilient, adaptable workforce, and as AI reshapes the job market, young people need to see it not as a niche but as a powerful, transferable skill that opens doors to many careers.” – Emily Maguire
Reversing this decline requires, among other things, sustained investment and a curriculum that recognises creative subjects as a core need for the future economy.
We also have problems of visibility. Research commissioned by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and published on 31st October 2025 found low awareness among young people and parents of the range of careers available in the creative industries.
Young people and their caregivers need more information on:
- Availability of jobs: Showing them that jobs in the creative industries are available, and the types of pay and working structures they can expect — instead of outdated myths that “there are no jobs”.
- What the creative industries are: Showcasing the vast range of roles. Many don’t know that tech, museums, heritage, architecture, and advertising and marketing are part of them.
- Portfolios and freelance literacy: Teaching young people how to build a portfolio while still at school and how to navigate the industry as a freelancer. Many leave school without this knowledge and rely on social media to teach them.
- Career pathways: Showing that creative subjects don’t lead to one job; they lead to many.
Creative Careers Unlocked, out in November 2026, positions itself as a tool that can help widen access to creative careers. Aimed at students, parents, teachers, and careers advisers, the book provides practical tools, industry insights, and strategies to help educators embed creative pathways into the curriculum.
Book details
Title: Creative Careers Unlocked
Author: Emily Maguire
Publisher: Trotman
Publication date: November 2026
Format: Paperback
Availability: Major booksellers and online retailers