Northern Ireland’s creative industries are an important and growing part of the regional economy, offering opportunities for talented individuals and businesses across Omagh and County Tyrone.
The sector stretches far beyond traditional arts and entertainment. It includes advertising, architecture, crafts, design, fashion, film, publishing, music, performing arts, computer games, software, digital media, television, radio and cultural heritage.
According to the Creative Industries in Northern Ireland guide, around 39,000 people work in creative industries or creative occupations across Northern Ireland, representing 4.4% of the workforce.
For Omagh, this creates opportunities for freelancers, start-ups and established businesses working in areas such as graphic design, photography, video production, digital marketing, content creation, software development, crafts, music and heritage tourism.
A growing economic sector
Northern Ireland had approximately 3,695 creative business sites in 2024, an increase of 8.8% since 2019. The industries generated an estimated £1.6 billion in Gross Value Added during 2022, with software and computer services making the largest contribution.
Creative businesses can also support growth in other parts of Omagh’s economy. Professional photography, branding, website design, social media content and video production are increasingly important to retailers, manufacturers, tourism providers and professional services.
Omagh’s location and strong community identity can also inspire creative products and services. Local history, music, language, rural landscapes and cultural heritage can all provide material for storytelling, design, events, visitor experiences and digital content capable of reaching audiences far beyond the town.
Recognising the challenges
Many creative businesses are microbusinesses, sole traders or freelancers. This can create challenges around accessing finance, protecting intellectual property, finding affordable workspace and keeping pace with new technologies such as artificial intelligence, digital production and virtual environments.
The Challenges and Opportunities in the Northern Ireland Creative Sector guide highlights global competition, limited business scale, skills gaps and access to investment as continuing barriers.
For local businesses, collaboration can help overcome some of these challenges. Designers, photographers, developers, writers and other creative professionals can work together to bid for larger contracts, develop new products and offer more complete services to clients.
Finding support and funding
Creative entrepreneurs in Omagh should explore the Creative Business Support and Funding guide, which brings together advice, funding, skills development and networking opportunities.
Support may be available through organisations including:
- Invest Northern Ireland for innovation, research, skills and intellectual property support
- Northern Ireland Screen for film, television, digital content and games
- Arts Council of Northern Ireland for arts organisations and individual artists
- Northern Ireland Business Support Finder for current programmes and funding opportunities
Northern Ireland Screen provides development, production, training and games-related support, while the Arts Council offers funding opportunities for individuals and organisations.
Eligible companies should also review the guidance on creative industry tax reliefs, as Corporation Tax relief may be available for certain qualifying productions and activities.
With the right support, workspace, skills and connections, Omagh’s creative businesses can generate employment, attract investment and take locally developed ideas to national and international markets.
