The concept of creative industries was first introduced in the mid-to-late 1990s. Since then, making art has started shifting from being all about individual creativity, skill, and talent to a bunch of economic sectors whose main goal is to generate wealth and create markets and jobs.
For centuries, artists have created art for their own pleasure. And while many “lucky” artists also made a living out of their creative work, artistic activity was never made into an economic sector.
Defining creative industries
In better terminology, the cultural and creative industries, based on UNESCO‘s definition, are the economic sectors concerned with producing and promoting goods and services rooted in culture, art, and heritage. CCIs combine creativity with entrepreneurship, generating employment, wealth, and cultural value.
What are the cultural and creative industries?
While creative industries could have many sub-industries, they mostly depend on the continent/country. For the European Monitor of Industrial Ecosystems, the biggest industries are audiovisual (TV, video games, VOD, cinema, VR/AR), music, books and press publishing, advertising, cultural heritage (museums, historical sites), performance (theatre, dance), and visual arts.
While in Australia, for example, (depending on the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, and Sport), they are divided into two main categories:
Creative services industries:
- fashion design, graphic design, and product design
- games and interactive technologies
- photography
- advertising and marketing
- architecture and interior design
- software and digital content.
Cultural production industries:
- film, TV, and radio
- writing and publishing
- music
- performing arts
- visual arts and crafts
- galleries, libraries, archives, and museums
- festivals
- community arts and cultural development.
What are creative industries mainly about?
Businesses belonging to the creative industries often create, produce, and commercialize intellectual property.
