Creative Industries as a Flywheel

Abstract

The value of the creative industries to the economy and society has generally been viewed in terms of jobs created and contribution to gross national or regional product. This study shows that it’s time to reassess the industry’s image and its social and economic significance. It looks beyond job creation and contribution to GDP of the creative industries, to possible broader social and economic added value. In particular it examines the specific positive external impact of the creative industries on our society and economy and the sector’s contribution to innovation. The creative industries, it seems, is not merely another sector but is also a driving force behind various economic and social processes. The sector is characterized not only by a relatively high growth rate but also by extensive crosslinking with other sectors and branch industries. This crosslinking not only occurs through customer and supplier relations, but also through staff migration from one branch to another, resulting in knowledge transfer beyond specific branch boundaries. It is precisely the knowledge and specific skills of these creatively active professionals fanning out from creative industries companies which is of particular interest here. As our economy continues to emerge as a creative economy this knowledge and these skills are of crucial importance. The broader added value of the creative industries manifests itself in the contribution by creatively actively professionals to innovation and competitiveness in the broader economy. This development is clearly identified in the study and should be further investigated. The research focus should move away from a static view of creative industries as a sector which creates jobs and wealth and focuses more on the dynamic which the core competencies and skills emerging from the sector can bring about in society and the broader economy. This should be taken into consideration in policy-making. The creative industries have long been of interest to policy makers, scientists and politicians but now entrepreneurs and sector organizations are also showing more interest. The creative industries deal with the creation, production and exploitation of all kinds of significance and symbolism aimed at not only consumers and citizens but also commercial customers. Three subsectors are identified in the Netherlands, each with its own dynamic; media and entertainment, the arts and cultural heritage and creative business services. In the past decade, most studies into the creative industries focused on definition and delineation of the sector and the mapping of associated economic value and job creation. These mapping studies have generally identified the creative industries as a distinct sector with above average growth. At the same time there is a growing recognition of the special role the creative industries play in the modern economy, and that the sector also, and above all, provides a dynamic beyond its own ranks. These issues are further addressed in this study. Creative Amsterdam, a consortium of the cities Amsterdam, Utrecht, Zaanstad, Haarlem, Alkmaar, Hilversum and Amersfoort in conjunction with the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce, the Amsterdam Innovation Motor (AIM) and the Regional Innovation Taskforce Utrecht (TFI) will, through this study, trace the broad economic and social significance of the creative industries and thence formulate broader policy options.