Amazon invests over £4.2bn in UK creative since 2010
June 22, 2023
Nik Roseveare @ BFI Southbank
Data from Amazon reveals that it is one of the leading contributors across the breadth of the UK creative industries. Analysis from independent macroeconomic consultancy Capital Economics shows that Amazon’s investments in the creative industries supported more than 16,000 jobs in 2022, ranging from directly employed in-house designers to indirectly employed external producers, and Amazon has invested more than £4.2 billion (€4.8bn) since 2010 across Prime Video, Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon Publishing, Audible, Amazon Music, Amazon Games and more.
The data shows that Amazon’s investments have contributed £4.8 billion of gross value (GVA) to the UK economy since 2010. Amazon has doubled its investments in the creative sectors across the UK in the last five years, reflecting the support for more UK-based creatives, a record number of Amazon Originals filmed in the UK, and state-of-the-art studios and facilities for Amazon Music, Audible and Prime Video, including the new production facilities to open at Shepperton Studios.
Amazon supports creators in all regions of the UK, with 50 per cent of the direct and indirect jobs in areas outside of London and the South East according to Capital Economics analysis. The top regions for these jobs include South West (1,400), The North West (840), East of England (930), Yorkshire (660) and Scotland (670).
To continue to develop the creative talent of the future, Amazon has announced support for more than 100 new apprenticeships in organisations across the creative industries, doubling its creative industries apprenticeship levy funding to £2 million. This funds apprenticeships across the sector including the BRIT Trust and the Association for Independent Music and Women in CTRL; a Screen Skills flexible apprenticeship pilot to support both Amazon Original productions such as The Devil’s Hour and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power as well as funding apprentices on non-Amazon productions including Channel 4’s Derry Girls.
Prime Video has also announced the second phase of Prime Video Pathway, an initiative designed to open up access to jobs in TV and film, which will support 250 additional trainees over the coming years. Developed in collaboration with the UK’s leading TV and film institutions, including the National Film & Television School (NFTS), Prime Video Pathway will be providing opportunities for a further 25 craft trainees, increasing its reach outside London, providing 50 per cent of placements across Scotland and for the first time, Wales.
Prime Video is also being welcomed into the BFI (British Film Institute) National Archive. Popular films and series reflecting stories filmed across the UK including Good Omens and Clarkson’s Farm will be digitally preserved in the BFI National Archive for generations to come.
John Boumphrey, VP and UK country manager at Amazon, (pictured with Lisa Cfas Rousseau, Head of Freevee UK) commented: “The UK has long been a creative powerhouse, brimming with some of the world’s most talented authors, musicians, actors, designers, technicians and more. Amazon is unique in the breadth of creative industries we support, from TV and music, to fashion and publishing, and new data shows that our investments in these industries have contributed more than £4.8 billion to the UK economy since 2010. We are committed to supporting this vital sector, and we have more than doubled our investments in UK-based productions, skills programmes, production facilities, and more to power the UK’s creative sector today, and support the creators of tomorrow.”
Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, Lucy Frazer, said: “Amazon has embraced the huge depth of creativity and technical expertise in the UK. Its continued investment is testament to what we offer in film, music, fashion, tech and publishing. Many of its ambitions align closely with our own plans for the creative sectors and we are going to build on Britain’s status as a world-class creative nation and maximise their potential to unleash economic growth and create jobs.”
Ben Roberts, Chief Executive at BFI, added: “Since the 1950s, one of our Royal Charter objectives has been to preserve television alongside film. It’s really important that the nation’s film, television and the moving image heritage is fully representative of the work being created today, so that we can tell the story of our screen culture to audiences in the future. Given their continued investment in UK storytelling across film and television, we are absolutely thrilled to welcome Prime Video to the BFI National Archive and recognise their considerable economic and cultural impact.”