The UK is one of the world's major creative markets and British music has always been fundamental to the nation's reputation for innovation and creativity. This year, for the first time in the history of the US Grammy Awards, UK acts achieved a clean sweep of nominations in the key Record of the Year category. There could be no clearer indication of the impact of British music - an industry worth around £5bn (€5.4bn) a year. The core objectives of the UKTI and its partners at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas are to support emerging British talent and to help British music companies do business internationally, including accessing the all-important US market. 15.04.09