Developing and sustaining creative industries
Defining cultural and creative industries
If you google ‘cultural industries’ and ‘creative industries’ you will come up with a feast of learning about the international conversation around these terms and the activities that come under their banner. This conversation is part of the global awakening about what creative activity means for our present lifestyle and our future economic survival.
The Australian Government recognises the importance of the cultural and creative industries and the need for the financial support and technological infrastructure to service them.
Excerpt from Garrett sees new energy on culture 'No proud voices' for 10 years
Diana Streak, The Canberra Times, 1 March 2008
'Speaking after the annual Cultural Ministers Council meeting in Canberra yesterday, federal Arts Minister Peter Garrett said there would be a new energy and focus on culture. The cultural ministers issued a report, Building a Creative Innovation Economy, which highlighted the value of the creative sector in driving innovation and growth in the economy.' Full report: www.cmc.gov.au
In the UK they have moved a long way down this road. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in the UK helps the creative industries thrive by raising their profile and supporting their development. Their vision is that the UK becomes the world’s creative hub.
Cultural Industries Development Agency (CIDA) www.cida.co.uk is the leading UK support organisation for the creative and cultural sector. They support ‘those working in all areas of the creative and cultural industries - in fact almost any creative sector you can think of’!
This tentacle wrapped around everything creative is both a strength and a dilemma for the cultural sector. Where are the borders on what we are doing and for which we can make claims?
The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Creative Industries Faculty has been leading the way in the development of creative industries in Queensland and nationally and aims to become an internationally-networked hub of creative enterprise.
According to their website, ‘the creative industries foster individual creativity, skill and talent and offer diverse and rewarding career opportunities’. The creative industries include:
- literature and print media
- visual and performing arts
- music composition and publishing
- new media such as animation, games and internet content design
- broadcasting electronic media and film
- heritage activities.
The UK definition casts its net wider. They define creative industries as those industries that are based on individual creativity, skill and talent. They are also those that have the potential to create wealth and jobs through developing intellectual property.
Their list would add to that of QUT:
- advertising
- architecture
- design
- art and antiques markets
- designer fashion
- crafts
www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/Creative_industries/
Other definitional frameworks would include the last three items in the UK definition as ‘cultural industries’.
One of the sites that offers an interesting discussion regarding what is included under the banner of cultural and creative industries is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_industries. The current information on the wikipedia site states ‘there is often a question mark over the boundaries between Creative Industries and the similar term of Cultural industries. Cultural Industries are best described as an adjunct-sector of the Creative Industries, including activities such as: Cultural tourism & Heritage; Museums & Libraries; Sports & Outdoor activities; through a variety of 'way of life' activities that arguably range from local pet shows to a host of hobbyist concerns. The possible difference would thus be that the Cultural Industries are more concerned about delivering other kinds of value to society than simply monetary value, such as Cultural Wealth or Social Wealth’.
The experience of the writers is that this distinction exists in practice and it is useful to keep both the terms alive in documentation so that the whole spectrum of cultural practice from hobbyist activity and community events to economically viable industry development is covered.
Resources
The Queensland Government provides on-line advice on managing and growing your business: www.business.qld.gov.au
Arts Queensland (AQ) provides funding for industry development initiatives with, in many cases, additional support from local councils and businesses. The program is flexible to enable AQ to respond to opportunities and emerging priorities outside the guidelines of other funding programs. Over $1M has been allocated in 2008 to support targeted arts industry development initiatives for small to medium arts companies. For further information, visit www.arts.qld.gov.au/funding/industry-dev.html
A Creative Business Toolbox can be obtained from Arts Queensland. www.arts.qld.gov.au
Australian Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) is a company of the Australian Government, established in 2000. AbaF promotes private sector support for the arts, connecting business, the arts, donors and foundations through three programs – Partnering, Volunteering and Giving. For further information, visit
www.abaf.org.au or contact the Queensland state office
Telephone: 07 3220 1468 Email: qld@abaf.org.au