• The UK has a world-leading reputation for creativity.  The creative industries contribute £84.1 billion to the UK economy and employ 1.8 billion people[1].
• Attracting the next generation of craft and creative talent is vital, but opportunities for children to explore creative subjects at school are declining. 
• Leading design figures have joined forces to launch the Campaign for Creativity to inspire and encourage more children to become the artists, creatives and designers of the future.
• Please sign this petition to show your support for the Campaign for Creativity, a campaign led by leading figures from the textile art, craft and design world. 

“The rigid nature of the national curriculum provides little opportunity or time for children to express themselves creatively, artistically or professionally. Creativity is vital to child development, not only as a means of expression and communication but to support life skills such as problem-solving, strategic thinking and resilience.”

“Creative thinkers hold the key to the UK’s future success, not just in culture and the arts but across business and industry too.  It is vital to their long term development that creative students have opportunities to select, embrace and qualify in creative subjects incrementally in the same pathway development as scientists, lawyers, doctors and others.”

“Pushing creative subjects into after-school classes inevitably relegates them to the level of 'hobby' and 'pastime'.  Consequently, they will be low down the list when parents and students make their exam selections.  This will eventually signal their death-knell.”

Anthea Godfrey, Artistic Director of The Embroiderers' Guild

 [1] DCMS Creative Industries Economic Estimates, January 2016 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523024/Creative_Industries_Economic_Estimates_January_2016_Updated_201605.pdf