INTRO
Creative_industries is a range of economic activities which are concerned with the generation or exploitation of knowledge and information. They may variously also be referred to as the cultural industries (especially in Europe) or the creative economy (Howkins 2001).
Howkins’ creative economy comprises advertising, architecture, art, crafts, design, fashion, film, music, performing arts, publishing, R&D, software, toys and games, TV and radio, and video games (Howkins 2001). Yet so far Howkins has not been internationally recognized.
The creative industries have been seen to become increasingly important to economic well-being, proponents suggesting that “human creativity is the ultimate economic resource,” (Florida 2002).
FIGURES
1. The UK has the largest creative industry in the EU, accounting for 6.2% in 2007 of the UK Gross Value Added. Creative exports reached ca. ₤16.6 bn (€ 18.8) in 2007, 4.5% of all exports in that year. From Apr 2010 issue of Monocle .
2. Singapore’s creative industries are getting S$978.2m this year and Hong Kong is setting aside HK$21.6bn (€1.97bn) for a new cultural district.
3. São Paulo Fashion Week (SPFW) is the largest fashion event, not just in Brazil but in Latin America. It generates significant profit. Now in its 15th year as part of the city’s official calendar, SPFW brings makes around €1.3bn in turnover.
Its value isn’t just pecuniary though, SPFW has become the perfect “soft power” exponent – a creative economy driver for the capital that improves the self-esteem of its population while at the same time polishing visiting foreigners’ impressions of the metropolis.
Of the €6.2m that SPFW costs, €1.1m is provided by the government, which understands the added benefit to the city as a whole if the event attracts more influential global industry leaders in the city, brings more money and new business opportunities and not only in the fashion and textile industries but tourism too.
READING SUGGESTION
‘T-Shirts and Suits: A Guide to the Business of Creativity’, a free downloadable book written by business adviser, trainer and creative industries consultant David Parrish. (pdf)
QUESTION
Any idea how much African nations spend on the development of creative industries? South Africa? Nigeria? Zimbabwe?
