North East music boss to sit on influential Government body
Mick Ross welcomes seat at table
Mick Ross, chief executive of Generator, the Newcastle-based music development organisation for the North East, is to sit on a revamped Creative Industries Council (CIC).
Established in 2011, the influential CIC sits within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and serves as a strategic forum for collaboration between industry leaders and the Government.
Co-chaired by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Peter Bazalgette, the TV producer and past chairman of Arts Council England, it is charged with developing the country’s creative industries.
Other new CIC members include Alison Lomax, managing director of YouTube UK & Ireland, Laura Weir, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, Ben Roberts, chief executive of the British Film Institute, and Sinead Rocks, chief executive of nations and regions for Channel 4.
Mick Ross, who grew up on a council estate in Washington, Tyne & Wear, and took up his current role at Generator in 2022, said: “Naturally, it’s a great honour to be invited to join the Council.
“I sit alongside stellar names from a wide range of creative sectors, all of whom contribute wonderfully to the UK economy.
“I’ve spoken in depth for some time about the need for the North East, particularly for its flourishing music industry, to be heard in central corridors of power.
“For too long we’ve been trying to shout from the outside in.
“Having a seat at the table means we can more confidently represent the outstanding work going on right across the North East, and right the way across the North, which is now attracting not just national but global attention.”
Lisa Nandy said: “The Creative Industries Council is vital to ensuring that we are effectively understanding and addressing the needs of the sector.
“Our ambition is that every corner of this country will flourish, cementing the UK’s position as a creative superpower.
“We are committed to delivering the Creative Industries Sector Plan, as part of the Government’s Plan for Change, and the remodelled CIC will continue to play a critical role in that.”
The Creative Industries Sector Plan, published as part of the Government’s industrial strategy, committed to reshaping the CIC to strengthen its relationship with businesses.
The vision outlined by the Sector Plan is for business investment in creative organisations to be boosted from £17 billion to £31 billion by 2035, helping them to grow and create jobs.
In its new format, the CIC is intended to be more representative of the sector, prioritising regional representation while addressing its concerns and growing exports.