DCMS areas of research interest · first published 17 May 2018
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has refreshed its Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) — a public list of the research questions and evidence gaps it most wants answered across its policy portfolio. This is not a procurement tender or grant; it is a standing invitation for researchers, businesses, practitioners and civil society organisations to share relevant evidence or express interest in collaborating with the department. DCMS sectors are described as worth £170 billion and supporting 4 million jobs, spanning creative industries, culture, heritage, media, sport, civil society, youth, tourism and gambling. Small businesses — particularly those in creative industries, the voluntary and community sector, or research and consultancy — can register interest via an online survey or email, submit existing evidence, and be added to a network list that receives alerts about future commissioned research opportunities. This document does not itself award contracts or change procurement rules, but it is the clearest public signal of where DCMS will spend its research budget over the next two to five years.
WHO THIS APPLIES TO
THE ENKII VIEW
For SMEs in research, consultancy, data, evaluation or any DCMS-adjacent sector, this document is essentially a forward pipeline of research commissions: the department has publicly listed every question it needs answering, and firms that register now get first sight of paid opportunities. Creative industry SMEs will find their own growth, finance, skills and AI challenges listed verbatim as departmental priorities — making this a rare chance to shape the evidence base that will govern future policy affecting them. The explicit mention of micro and SME businesses throughout the Creative Industries ARIs, and the call for diverse perspectives including from industry and community organisations, means small firms are explicitly welcomed, not just tolerated.
1. Complete the DCMS ARI engagement survey now to be added to the network list — this is the primary route to being notified of future paid commissioned research opportunities and College of Experts membership.
SMEs in research, evaluation, data or consultancy working in any DCMS sector — The document states that 'opportunities to join the College of Experts or to submit bids for commissioned research are advertised via the network lists generated through the ARIs' — registration is the gate.
2. Submit your existing research via the full ARI engagement survey, structured to show which policy area it addresses, your methodology, key findings and whether results are generalisable — DCMS explicitly welcomes ongoing and completed research.
SMEs with existing research or evidence relevant to DCMS policy areas — The document states DCMS 'is keen to discuss research design at an early stage and we are open to hearing about ongoing research', and that submitting in this format is 'a starting point for DCMS to engage with your work'.
3. Review the Creative Industries and AI ARIs in detail — your own business challenges (finance access, digital market barriers, AI impact, supply chains, skills gaps) are listed verbatim as departmental priorities. Identify which questions your firm can speak to and prepare a concise evidence note.
Creative industry SMEs (studios, agencies, freelance networks, createch firms) — DCMS explicitly lists questions about 'micro, SME and large businesses' and 'barriers to entry into the digital market faced by freelance workers and smaller creative organisations' — your lived experience is the evidence the department lacks.
4. Engage with the Civil Society and Youth ARIs, particularly on measuring VCSE sector value, resilience, and 'what works' for preventative services — these are explicitly listed evidence gaps where small specialist organisations are well-placed to contribute.
Voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations and civil society consultancies — The document notes that VCSE activities 'may not have clear market values' and that this 'can lead to considerable undervaluation' — DCMS wants research to fix this, creating demand for sector-specialist evidence providers.
5. If your research interest is not covered by the published ARIs, email csa@dcms.gov.uk directly to discuss it — the document explicitly invites this.
All interested SMEs — The document states: 'If you are interested in discussing research that is not covered within the ARIs, contact the Chief Scientific Adviser's Team at csa@dcms.gov.uk'.
Every rule below quotes the official document verbatim.
DCMS sectors are worth £170 billion and support 4 million jobs across the UK. (All DCMS policy portfolios; context for research prioritisation.)
“DCMS sectors are worth £170 billion, support 4 million jobs and are a source of soft power and pride for Britain abroad.”
The ARIs cover eight policy portfolios: Civil Society and Youth; Creative Industries and Artificial Intelligence; Culture; Gambling; Media and International; Sport; Visitor Economy; and Heritage. (All DCMS research commissioning activity.)
“These eight sets of policy portfolio ARIs are listed alphabetically: Civil Society and Youth; Creative Industries and Artificial Intelligence (as it relates to the creative industries); Culture; Gambling; Media and International; Sport; Visitor Economy; Heritage.”
Most ARI research questions are framed for delivery outcomes needed within the next two to five years, though some have longer-term trajectories. (All ARI policy portfolios.)
“Most questions will be framed for departmental delivery outcomes needed in the next 2-5 years, although some ARIs have longer term trajectories.”
DCMS welcomes expressions of interest from experts at all career stages and from all disciplines, including social sciences, arts and humanities, engineering and data science. (All potential research partners, including small businesses and individuals.)
“DCMS is happy to receive general expressions of interest from experts from all career stages who are interested in collaborating with DCMS. This includes interdisciplinary research spanning the social sciences, arts and humanities, engineering, data science, and other relevant disciplines.”
Organisations that register via the ARI engagement survey or email will be added to a network list and notified of future commissioned research opportunities and College of Experts membership. (All respondents to the ARI engagement survey.)
“we will ensure that opportunities to join the College of Experts or to submit bids for commissioned research are advertised via the network lists generated through the ARIs.”
Evidence submissions can take many forms including evidence synthesis, re-analysis of existing datasets, natural experiments, implementation research, and cost–benefit analysis. (All organisations submitting evidence to DCMS.)
“Evidence submissions addressing ARIs may reflect a range of approaches to answering ARIs, including but not limited to: evidence synthesis and systematic reviews; re-analysis of existing datasets; natural experiments and quasi-experimental designs; implementation research; and cost–benefit and distributional analysis.”
DCMS explicitly asks how micro, SME and large businesses are contributing to creative industry supply chains and what factors encourage them to locate or remain in the UK. (Creative Industries and AI policy portfolio ARIs.)
“How are micro, SME and large businesses contributing to demand for UK supply chains and how are they investing in supply chain development? Which factors encourage micro, SME and large businesses to locate in the UK/retain presence in the UK?”
DCMS is specifically interested in barriers to entry into digital markets faced by freelance workers and smaller creative organisations compared to larger businesses. (Creative Industries and AI policy portfolio ARIs.)
“What are the barriers to entry into the digital market faced by freelance workers and smaller creative organisations, and how do these differ to those experienced by larger businesses?”
DCMS wants to understand what access to finance barriers creative businesses face, how these vary across the business lifecycle, and what businesses are doing to overcome them. (Creative Industries and AI policy portfolio ARIs.)
“What are the most common sources of finance sought by creative businesses and what are the barriers they face in obtaining finance? How do these vary across the business lifecycle? What are businesses across the lifecycle doing to overcome the barriers?”
DCMS has a 10-year National Youth Strategy for young people aged 10–21 (and up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities) and is seeking research on 'what works' to improve outcomes. (Civil Society and Youth policy portfolio ARIs.)
“DCMS has launched a 10-year strategy for young people in England (10-21, and up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)). The Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy sets out the various ways in which DCMS aims to achieve the goals set out in the strategy.”
DCMS is working with the Office for the Impact Economy on the evidence base for the impact economy, including social impact investing, social outcomes partnerships and philanthropy. (Civil Society and Youth — Impact Economy ARIs.)
“DCMS is working with the Office for the Impact Economy to develop the evidence base underpinning government support for the impact economy.”
Researchers can engage with DCMS via an ARI engagement survey, by emailing csa@dcms.gov.uk, or by consulting the ARI Database. (All potential research partners.)
“ARI engagement survey; CSA email: csa@dcms.gov.uk; ARI Database”
This briefing is enkii's interpretation of the official document — the official text always governs.
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