Creative industries

Creativity is fundamental to our Tasmanian way of life

The Tasmanian creative landscape has been thriving, is vibrant and full of passionate makers and practitioners, collectors and participants. It is an inter-connecting thread that is a key driver in our economy, enriching our lifestyle and creating employment in Tasmania.

The sector is continuing to grow in capacity, fostering local talent and building industry capability with trainees working across a range of adjoining professions, including the creative areas of scriptwriting and directing, as well as the craft specialisations, editing and animation.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics indicated that ‘selected arts industries’ contributed $73.28 million to the Tasmanian Gross State Product in 2018-19. Further, there are more than 9000 Tasmanians who are directly employed in the cultural and creative industries with countless more indirectly employed through the related tourism, hospitality and retails sectors.

Tasmanian creative industries are recognised in supporting life-long learning. The Tasmanian creative industry provides all participants with strong links to education; through education at all levels whether it be primary and secondary facilities, vocational education courses and university programs, or in our creative institutions.

Tasmania’s unique and diverse natural environment has supported the development of exceptional services and experiences in the film space, such as Rosehaven, The Gloaming, The Kettering incident, The Nightingale, Lion and many more. These services create employment opportunities, contribute to local economies and enliven communities.

Tasmania boasts lifestyle and cost of living advantages that are proving to be an attractive incentive across the full spectrum of Film Creators, Digital Animators and Video Game Developers. This is supporting growth as participants seek to attract, employ and retain both skilled and unskilled workers.

Tasmania is well placed to support increased investment in creative industries and offers a truly unique experience to those who chose to invest in Tasmania.

Video Game Development

Tasmania offers digital game makers an environment rich in tech innovation and collaboration. Tasmania outperforms expectations in the creative sector – with a nascent interactive games development sector, comprised of innovative, dynamic Tasmanians and with access to high-quality services and an adaptable workforce.

The creative aspects of the Tasmanian economy are driving positive economic and social outcomes for the state. Digital content creation, including games, app and web design are growing rapidly
in Tasmania. Leading game studios such as Mighty Kingdom, Giant Margarita and Secret Lab have a presence in the Tasmanian industry which is supported through Government incentives and grants through Screen Tasmania.

Tasmania is driven by the ‘Tasmanian Brand’ which is associated with premium crafted products. Our world-leading renewable energy profile, industry expertise and academic institutions make Tasmania an ideal location to harness creative opportunities and foster growth in the game making sector. This emerging sector is competitive and collaborative, a winning combination for market entrants.

Industry partnerships for success

Tasmania’s creative and collaborative culture has fostered a community of stakeholders that encourage and assist investment and development in digital gaming.

Screen Tasmania is responsible for supporting and developing the state’s film, television and multimedia industries. It actively supports and encourages the sector’s continued development through partnerships with the more traditional narrative content sector. Screen Tasmania is platform agnostic, not proscriptive, and open to all opportunities for sectoral development and content production.

Screen Tasmania offers grant programs such as the Conceptual Design Grant and support packages to eligible game makers. Game makers can access a variety of resources and marketing support for expanding their digital games business.

The Human Interface Technology Laboratory (HIT Lab) is a research and teaching facility within the School of Technology, Environments and Design, University of Tasmania (UTAS). HITLab brings industry leading technologies and tools to UTAS campuses with a focus on design, visualisation, simulation and games.