Creative Economy: A Feasible Development Option

1Concept and context of the creative economyTable 1.3CityCreative Cities NetworkUNESCO Creative Cities NetworkCountryEdinburgh United Kingdom UNESCO City of LiteratureIowa City United States UNESCO City of LiteratureMelbourne Australia UNESCO City of LiteratureBologna Italy UNESCO City of MusicGhent Belgium UNESCO City of MusicGlasgow United Kingdom UNESCO City of MusicSeville Spain UNESCO City of MusicBerlin Germany UNESCO City of DesignBuenos Aires Argentina UNESCO City of DesignKobe Japan UNESCO City of DesignMontreal Canada UNESCO City of DesignNagoya Japan UNESCO City of DesignShenzhen China UNESCO City of DesignShanghai China UNESCO City of DesignAswan Egypt UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk ArtKanazawa Japan UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk ArtSanta Fe United States UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk ArtChengdu China UNESCO City of GastronomyPopayan Colombia UNESCO City of GastronomyLyon France UNESCO City of Media ArtsBradford United Kingdom UNESCO City of FilmSource: UNESCO Secretariat, June 2010Theme1.1.10 Creative clusters, networksand districtsThe growth of creative production within an urbancontext derives partly from the existence of agglomerationexternalities, the beneficial spillovers that accrue to firmsfrom proximity to one another. It is not only in cities thatsuch effects can be realized. In principle, groups of creativebusinesses might grow up in any location if the conditionsfor development of a creative cluster exist. The tendency offirms involved in music, film, visual arts, fashion and designto converge in distinctive clusters reflects the economic, socialand cultural interactions that develop between firms and thatbecome essential to their survival and growth. As Allen Scottargues (Scott, 2005), “By clustering together, firms are ableto economize on their spatial inter-linkages, to reap the multipleadvantages of spatially concentrated labour markets, totap into the abundant information flows and innovativepotentials that are present wherever many different specializedbut complementary producers are congregated, and soon.”As Michael Porter has argued (Porter, 1990), the productionof creative goods and services under these circumstancescan be shown to enhance efficiency and productivitygrowth and promote sustainable development. 22 In an urbancontext, this has been observed in traditional centres ofcultural production and creative activity such as London, LosAngeles, New York and Paris and, more recently, in themetropolitan surroundings of Bombay, Hong Kong, MexicoCity, Seoul and Shanghai.It is not only in the major centres that such culturaldistricts arise, however. In many parts of the world, similarprocesses are resulting in local concentrations of culturalproduction that both provide economic empowerment forthe community and reflect the traditional knowledge, skillsand cultural traditions of the people. Some examples of suchproduction drawn from the developing world are cited bySantagata (2006):■ In Sigchos, Ecuador, a number of artisans produce pottery,woven goods and clothing reproducing old forms,designs and traditional colours.■ In Aleppo, Syrian Arab Republic, micro- and small firmsgathered in small areas of the town produce green olive soapaccording to a 3,000-year-old tradition. The technologyemployed is ancient, the product highly standardized.Santagata argues that cultural districts such as thesemay be able to establish collective intellectual property rightsover the distinctive qualities of their particular output. Suchrights, which may, for example, be exercised in the form oftrademarks, can act as a safeguard against illegal copying aswell as a stimulus to new business investment and the maintenanceof quality standards (see chapter 6).22 Further discussion of the Porter model of creative clusters is in chapter 3.16 CREATIVE ECONOMY REPORT 2010