It turns out the West Midlands is bursting with creative energy even if not everyone’s getting the chance to use it.
Our new research project, A Creative West Midlands, carried out with Culture Central and partners at Warwick Business School and Counting What Counts, set out to understand how people across the region experience creativity in their daily lives. We pulled together national data with a brand-new residents’ survey to get a full picture, and it’s given us a fascinating glimpse into the region’s creative heartbeat.
Creativity lives here, but opportunity doesn’t always keep up
Seven in ten people in the West Midlands describe themselves as creative, and more than three million say they’d like to be even more so.
That’s a huge appetite, especially among younger people and global majority communities, who have historically been among the least likely to have easy access to creative opportunities.
At the same time, the region still shows some of the lowest levels of cultural participation in England. So there’s a gap between people’s creative potential and the opportunities available to express it. And that gap isn’t evenly spread; in fact, in many areas where participation is lowest, the desire to be creative is strongest.
Why local matters
One of the clearest messages from residents was that creative opportunities close to home really matter, especially for families with children, disabled people and those on lower incomes. For many, local venues, libraries and community spaces aren’t just convenient; they’re the difference between being able to take part, or not at all.
Young people are ready to create
The West Midlands has one of the youngest populations in the UK, and they’re brimming with creative ambition. 85% of 18–24 year olds see themselves as creative, and two-thirds want to do even more. They’re not just passive consumers either, they’re active makers, doers and collaborators, often in digital or informal spaces. There’s a real opportunity for cultural organisations to meet them where they already are.
Turning insight into action
All of this insight is brought together in the Creative West Midlands Profiler, an open, interactive tool we’ve built so cultural organisations, local authorities and artists can explore the data for their own areas. It’s designed to help people spot new opportunities, make the case for investment, and build partnerships grounded in evidence.
A region ready to flourish
At Indigo, we see this project as more than a snapshot. It’s a starting point for new conversations about how creativity can thrive in every corner of the West Midlands, not just in our city centres, but on our high streets, in our schools, parks and community halls.
Because if three million people say they want to be more creative, surely, that’s an opportunity too big to ignore.
A Creative West Midlands is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority, Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund and Arts Council England. Delivered in partnership with:
