Strengthening the Creative Industries for Development in ... - unctad

18 PART 3. CREATIVE INDUSTRIES POLICY REVIEW
inclusion and cultural diversity. According to UNCTAD, the creative economy deals with a set of
knowledge-based economic activities with a development dimension and cross-cutting linkages at the
macro and micro levels with the overall economy.
The creative industries have significant potential for development on a wide scope, since they result in
tangible goods or intangible services able to generate revenues through trade and intellectual property
rights (IPRs), if appropriate policies are in place. It should be noted that although many countries uses
the terms “cultural industries” and “creative industries” interchangeably, the concept of the creative
industries is broader than the traditional notions of the cultural sector, which are seen mainly from the
public sector perspective.
The creative industries comprise the cycles of creation, production and distribution of goods and
services with creative content, cultural and economic value and market objectives. In this regard, the
creative industries have been classified by UNCTAD to include creative goods and services related to
heritage, arts, media and functional creations, with subsectors identified in each of these categories, 48
as shown in figure 6. It deals with the interplay of various creative sectors starting from the most
traditional like art crafts and cultural festivities to more technology-intensive sectors such as
audiovisuals, to higher value-added creative services like architecture, advertising and digital services.
In this regard, it should be noted that the term “creative industries” emerged in the 1990s, broadening
the scope of cultural industries beyond the arts, and marking a shift in the approach to potential
commercial activities that until recently were regarded predominantly in non-economic terms. 49
Figure 6. UNCTAD classification of creative industries
Action: It is recommended to enlarge the scope of the traditional cultural industries by adding new
services-oriented and technology-intensive creative sectors along the lines indicated above. There are
several classifications; this one was designed by UNCTAD taking into account the current and
potential interests of developing countries.
48 Reference is made to the UNCTAD’s definition and classification of the creative industries and the creative
economy, elaborated in 2006 by the Creative Economy Programme. This classification is also presented
UNCTAD/UNDP (2008): 14.
49 See UNCTAD (2008a).