'Progress under pressure’ new report shows threat to creative economy is sustainability | Publishing Scotland
Yesterday, Creative Access released their 2026 Thrive Report ‘Progress under pressure’. The findings in this year’s report suggest the challenge facing the creative economy is one of sustainability. Who gets […]
Yesterday, Creative Access released their 2026 Thrive Report ‘Progress under pressure’. The findings in this year’s report suggest the challenge facing the creative economy is one of sustainability. Who gets to build a long-term career in the creative industries? Who has access to the opportunities, support and progression needed to succeed? And, if we fail to act, whose talent will we lose?Overall, while publishing is performing well compared to other sectors, creative industries as a whole are struggling to retain skilled professionals due to affordability and pay-related challenges. The three key metrics measured in the report were DE&I, AI and pay. The main publishing findings can be seen below:DE&I in publishing reported some of the strongest outcomes on equitable distribution of progression and reward compared to the other creative industries (63%). Regarding AI use, the report shares that “Compared with last year, the most notable shift is the growth in administrative use (81%), where the figure has almost doubled (41% in 2025). ” However, in publishing this figure is significantly lower (6%), reflecting ongoing concerns around copyright and authorship. Regarding pay, over half the respondents working in publishing had career progress in the last 3 years, a 10% increase year on year. Mel Rodrigues, CEO of Creative Access, said:“This year’s Thrive report should serve as a wake-up call for the creative industries. We’ve spent years working together to open doors for talented people from under-represented backgrounds, but those gains are now at risk of being undone. Financial pressure, shrinking investment in inclusion and the rapid pace of technological change are creating a perfect storm. If we don’t act now, we’ll lose experienced, skilled people from our sector at precisely the moment we need them most. This isn’t just an inclusion issue – it’s an economic one. When talented people can’t afford to stay or can’t see a path to progress, the creative industries lose future leaders, fresh ideas and the diverse perspectives that drive innovation and growth. We simply cannot build a world-leading creative economy while allowing our talent pipeline to leak. The encouraging news is that this report also shows what works. Organisations that invest intentionally in inclusive recruitment, progression and career development are seeing better outcomes for people and for business. The challenge now is to turn pockets of progress into lasting change. ”The full 2026 Thrive report can be readhere.