UNDERSTANDING THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Understanding the Creative Industries

Understanding the Creative Industries

Introduction

UK Music is the umbrella organisation which represents the collective interests of the UK's commercial music industry. “Latest predictions (from KPMG) are that the creative industries could grow by 46% in employment and 136% in output in the two decades to 2015. Ever since the Department for Culture? Media? and Sport's Creative Industries Taskforce formulated the concept of the creative industries in 1998? creativity in general? and the creative industries in particular? have generated significant interest in academia? business? and the media and in policymaking. In spite of critiques about how the creative industries are defined and measured? and concerns about their seemingly erratic performance? they remain of pressing concern. As globalisation increases pressure on primary industries? manufacturing and services? 'creativity and innovation'? 'the knowledge economy'? and 'the creative industries' (all ill-defined? different things) are perceived to be vital to our future prosperity:

In 2004 the creative industries accounted for 8% of UK Gross Value Added? compared to 4% in 1997;

The creative industries grew by an average of 5% p.a. between 1997 and 2004? compared to an average of 3% for the economy as a whole;

The creative industries employ 1.8 million people in the UK? with employment in some sectors growing by 6% p.a.;

Creative industries exports of goods and services contributed £13 billion to the balance of trade in 2004? 4.3% of total exports. This is one area where the UK's competitive advantage remains ? albeit under ever-increasing pressure. Ensuring that the UK has a future as a creative nation? and that it fulfils its ambition to be 'the World's Creative Hub'? therefore presents challenges? both across a broad range of traditionally defined areas such as arts? education and trade? and in new areas of enquiry such as skills development? networking? public space within cities? and the protocols of the internet.

One issue? then? is the identification of policy intervention in this area? but another difficulty lies in the processes through which policy responds. Creativity is at heart about individuals; the creative industries sector is mostly made up of small-scale and dynamic enterprises. The large institutions of government find it difficult to engage with organisations that are micro? fluid? disaggregated ( in many senses 'dis-organised'. These organisations are difficult to find and to communicate with? and they move at such a speed that the feedback loops used in traditional policy-making find it hard to keep up. The creative industries demand a fresh set of institutional questions and responses? not just the straightforward application of models that have worked at other times and in other places.

This need to grapple with both of these policy questions ( what policies? And how to engage? ( As well as the rise of the creative industries themselves? explains why a preoccupation with creativity is visible right across government. It extends from the Treasury? which instigated the Cox Review of Creativity in Business in 2005? to the Department of Trade and Industry? which in 2006 looked at creativity? design ...