The document provides a history and overview of the creative industries. It discusses how the UK government began recognizing and supporting creative industries in the late 1990s. It examines key creative industry sectors like film and computer games. It also looks at where creative industries tend to be located geographically, with many concentrated in cities like London. Finally, it considers the future growth of the creative economy and increasing importance of creativity and innovation across different industries.

1. Creative Industries and the Creative Economy: A Geographical Introduction

3. { Talk Outline } History of the creative industries What do they do now and how do they work? Case study: Film Industry and the computer games industry Where are they? Case study: London The future for the creative economy?

4. { History of the ‘Creative Industries’ } In UK, Labour came to power in 1997 and soon emphasised their ‘Cool Britannia’ policy drive

6. { History of the ‘Creative Industries’ } In UK, Labour came to power in 1997 and soon emphasised their ‘Cool Britannia’ policy drive Collectivised 13 ‘sub-sectors’: Advertising, architecture, arts and antiques, crafts, music, film and video, computer and video games, software, publishing, design, fashion, performing arts

7. { History of the ‘Creative Industries’ } These are, however, by no means new (publishing, film, crafts…) Adorno and Horkheimer (1947) attributed to the coining of the phrase ‘the culture industry’ – under modern capitalism, art and culture had become absorbed into the economy

8. { History of the ‘Creative Industries’ } The production of culture had become ‘economised’ and there were attempts at cultural policies to counter this (see O’Connor, 2007 for a historiography) However, the ‘cultural industries’ became a term to refer to those sectors of the economy that were involved in the production of culturally-consumed goods But there was a lack of a ‘voice’ for these industries, which impacts on the rights of workers, makes it difficult for firms to grow and curtails British comparative advantages

9. { History of the ‘Creative Industries’ } In May 1998, Lord Chris Smith wanted money from the treasury and a political agenda to recognise this and gain advantage from the IP, which at the time was not well regulated… … hence the creative industries were born: “ those industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property .” (DCMS, 1998).

10. { What do they do now and how do they work? } The creative industries (and the definitions thereof) are the focus of intense debate in government, academia and in the private realm How are they different from ‘other’ industries? (or within the CIs?) Government support (more or less?) Structure (flatter?) People (multi-skilled) Output (functionality versus fashion) Spatiality (concentrated or dispersed?)

11. { What do they do now and how do they work? } The UK film industry is a good example of how intense government intervention has encouraged growth UK Film Council set up in 2000 to promote the economic and cultural prominence of British cinema Set up tax relief for production companies who shoot in Britain or produce ‘British films’ (similar tax schemes in Australia and Canada to lure ‘runaway production’ A cultural test exists in order to ‘score’ how British a film is

13. { What do they do now and how do they work? } The computer game industry, in contrast, does not have such tax credits and the best UK talent is moving to Canada were the government DO have a tax credit scheme

14. { What do they do now and how do they work? } Structure-wise, the CIs are characterised by freelancers and project-based work (industrial definitions) The people who work for CI firms are risk-takers, multi-disciplinary, ‘mavericks’ (occupational definitions) Therefore, are the ‘creative industries’ just confined to the 13 sub-sectors…?

15. For example, designers can be found in a multitude of different firms from different ‘industries’…

16. { What do they do and how do they work? } So, creative industries are difficult to ‘pin down’, as the overlap (e.g. machinima) and change quickly Sub-sectoral boundaries start to lose their veracity if one starts to look at what is actually going on…

17. { What do they do and how do they work? } Project-based work is crucial to the CIs and many people often work short-term, part-time contracts Brings together different types of people and companies together to work toward a single goal Often companies are set up precisely for a project (e.g. for a film – “Constant Gardener plc”, Red Pants ltd”) and then dissolved once the project is completed Events are also important

18. Often products and the way they are designed can define the creative industries… …what are these?

24. { Where are they? } Fundamentally associated with the city For example, London accounts for 32% of CI jobs in UK Within the city, CI firms will be close together to benefit from economies of spatial agglomeration (or clustering) Social networking is a critical success factor in the CIs (local ‘buzz’) Not necessarily in office blocks or the city centre, but studios in the suburbs or operating out of their home

25. Top 100 publishing companies in London…

26. Soho film cluster (top 100 firms)…

27. Top 100 CI companies in London by postcode…

28. { Where are they? } Globally, the US houses the most productive and largest companies (the media majors, software etc), with few ‘global south’ cities

29. { Where are they? } As the CIs are considered part of the ‘new economy’ (or ‘knowledge economy’ or ‘information economy’), they are technologically deterministic Therefore, no wonder cities of the ‘global south’ do not fair well in CI production The CIs as a concept, a predominantly a western phenomenon, but vibrant ‘subsectors’ exist outside the West; Bollywood & Nollywood North African music Hong Kong film industry Rio Carnival

30. { The future of the creative economy } The creative industries are gaining popularity from national governments around the world (e.g. Korea, Singapore, Brazil, Russia) Manufacturing firms will continue to use ‘creatives’ in their production processes Sub-sectors will continue to blur as technology increases Projects and events are increasingly important ways in which CIs organise themselves

31. { The future of the creative economy } Arguments that we need to ‘design our ways out’ of the global resource/climate change problems A ‘cognitive revolution’ is underway? Based on the themes of creativity, innovation and interdisciplinarity

32. { Books/Further reading } Richard Caves (2000) – Creative Industries David Hesmondhalgh (2002) – Cultural Industries Richard Florida (2005) – Cities and the Creative Class John Howkins (2002) – The Creative Economy