UK Comics Creators Survey 2025 Launched

By John Freeman on September 16, 2025 • ( 0 )

The Comics Cultural Impact Collective recently launched its latest UK Comics Creators Survey, conducted in partnership with The Society of Authors and The Association of Illustrators, funded by Arts Council England and Arts University Bournemouth.

If you are a UK-based comics creator over 16 years old, whether you are a working professional, a casual creator or a student, if you make – or plan to make – comics for public consumption, this anonymous online survey is for you.

The survey is the work of Hannah Berry, following on from the 2020 survey conducted while in post as Comics Laureate, and you can submit responses until the beginning of October 2025. (The Final Cut Off to be determined).

”Back in 2020 we conducted the first ever UK-wide survey of comics creators,” Hannah notes. “623 respondents each took the time to tell us who they were, how they were doing, what obstacles they were facing, and what they needed to thrive.

“The results offered a sobering, fascinating, and somehow extremely heartwarming overview of the comics scene, and the findings have been used to start conversations within the comics world and beyond, improve access to funding, open doors to all kinds of organisations and generally put comics creators on the map.

“But then a clever person pointed out that while one survey offers a snapshot of a community. A second would give you an idea of where that community is heading.

“Comics audiences have boomed in recent years, with graphic novel sales tripling in Waterstones and library loans of children’s comic titles outstripping all others,” Hannah continues. “There has also been a marked increase in efforts to support the comics scene, building on the findings of the last survey. On the other hand, the earnings of creators all across the cultural sector have been on the decline for years, and livelihoods are being further impacted by Al and the cost of living crisis.

“So what exactly has changed in the last five years? As a group, are earning less? Are we more aware of our rights? More community-spirited? Queerer? It’s time for us to get back on that survey horse; to find out where we are now, and see what might be on the horizon.

“The results of this survey are not just for us,” Hannah emphasises. “They will be shared directly with organisations and decision-makers to ensure that comics creators can be accurately represented and advocated for.

“Every single question is designed to give actionable results to at least one organisation or campaign, from improving accessibility in events to ensuring that comics creators’ interests are represented to policy makers and cultural funders; from providing regional skill development opportunities to informing a proposed new revenue source for webcomic creators; from shaping further research into neurodivergence in the arts to campaigning on artificial intelligence and creator rights, and so on and so on…

“Ultimately, the findings will be available to anyone who can use them to ensure better representation, equity and sustainability within the comics community.

“That’s got to be worth ten minutes of your time, right?”

• The UK Comics Creator Survey 2025 is here

• Join the Comics Cultural Impact Collective mailing list for survey updates

• 2020 UK Comics Creator Survey Results

The UK Comics Creator Survey 2025 is conducted in partnership with The Comics Cultural Impact Collective, The Society of Authors and The Association of Illustrators, funded by Arts Council England and Arts University Bournemouth.

The findings will:

• Help organisations like the Society of Authors, The Association of Illustrators and The Comics Cultural Impact Collective to advocate for creators, ensuring their views can be represented in policy and campaign work

• Improve levels of funding by delivering relevant data that can be used in funding bids and campaigns

• Increase support by identifying issues in order to lay the groundwork for interventions

• Empower the comics community with insights that will ensure activities are representative, equitable and sustainable

• Break down silos by giving arts, literature and funding organisations information necessary to include comics in their programming

• Make the case for the formation of a backbone organisation, ensuring the comics community can work collaboratively towards shared goals

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.