SIGN: Exploring inequality and sustainability in the cultural and creative sectors

From 2020 to 2023 the Screen Industries Growth Network (SIGN) supported the growth of the TV, film and games industries in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Led by the University of York in partnership with Screen Yorkshire and eight other Yorkshire universities, the initiative facilitated connections and provided training, development and research to individuals, businesses and universities in the region.

The three-year programme of activity was underpinned by a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Between 2020 and 2023 SIGN undertook research, awarded funding and commissioned academic research projects at partner universities. The policy briefs were produced as part of this research.

Creativity Unlocked? Lessons from the pandemic for the games and TV industries

Summary: The pandemic put immense stress on creative workers in games and TV, causing disrupted work patterns, financial insecurity and mental health issues. This brief makes the case that creative and cultural industries should embrace flexible working arrangements to boost productivity, creativity and diversity in order to grow the sector and avoid losing talent.

Read the brief: SIGN policy brief - Creativity Unlocked? (PDF , 504kb)

Screen Tourism: Regional development, fan labour and sustainability

Summary: Film and TV tourism has a big economic impact in the UK , generating hundreds of millions of pounds for the economy. This screen tourism comes with cultural, economic and environmental implications for local communities, not all of which are positive. This brief makes the case for studios, local authorities and other relevant organisations to engage with local and fan communities to ensure sustainability.

Read the brief: SIGN policy brief - Screen Tourism (PDF , 1,052kb)

Employability in the video games industry: Matching education to the needs of the UK’s games industry

Summary: This brief makes the case for games companies, HE institutions and the government to work closely to ensure that children and young people receive the right support, skills development and opportunities to access and help grow the video games industry.

Read the brief: SIGN policy brief - Employability in the video games industry (PDF , 610kb)

Embedding EDI into research programmes: Insights from XR Stories and SIGN

Summary: This brief explores the work of the SIGN and XR Stories projects and their efforts to embed diversity and inclusion in all activities as a way of addressing exclusionary practices, discrimination and exploitation which are common and long-standing problems in the screen industries.

Read the brief: SIGN policy brief - Embedding EDI into research programmes (PDF , 802kb)