Creative Economy: A Feasible Development Option

2The development dimension2.2.3 Social interactionsIn formulating policies to foster local creativeeconomies, there are many ways to promote social inclusionand cohesion while maximizing employment andother opportunities. In developing countries, particularlyin the least developed countries, the creative economy canbe a tool to attenuate social tensions. Creative activities,especially those associated with arts and cultural festivities,are conducive to the inclusion of usually excludedminorities. Moreover, creative economy policies can facilitategreater absorption of marginalized youth, in partmade easier by the fact that many are already involved increative activities in the informal sector of the economy.Today youth are highly attracted by unconventionalcultural and creative expressions such as street-art graffiti,cartoons and graphic art, hip-hop dance and video games.Some even work for free producing creative content on theInternet or on mobile phones to entertain others. Thismotivation is worth noting — as societal values change,economic growth relies on new ideas, skills and an abilityto excel and seize new opportunities. Especially for thenew generation, creative work is often interactive, takingplace in the context of social networks. For this reasonyoung people are used to working and living with moreautonomy in an informal and flexible setting.The creative economy can help address serioussocial problems such as delinquency, prostitution anddrugs by engaging civil society and local communities inthe search for common solutions. As mentioned earlier, anexample best practice is the project under way in Medellin,Colombia, where the creation of cultural centres andcreative clusters has succeeded in stimulating young talentthat otherwise might have been lost to the illegal drugtrade. In this case, the socio-economic impact was impressive,leading to a sharp reduction in the level of criminalityin the poorest and more vulnerable areas of the city.This strategy also has positive effects on gender balance,providing opportunities in the creative industries forteenage girls who might otherwise be trapped by prostitutionor early pregnancy.The creative economy is society-inclusive: people fromall social classes participate in this economy, sometimes asproducers but always as consumers of different creativeproducts or cultural activities on different occasions. Thismade it possible to bring together several segments of society,including stakeholders from the public and private sectorsand individuals or institutions with distinct interests —those in profit-making firms and non-profit organizationssuch as NGOs, foundations and academia. The creativeeconomy can serve as part of a more results-oriented developmentstrategy adaptable to all countries, if appropriateconcerted public policies are in place.2.3 Traditional knowledge, culture and the creative economyThe foundation of the creative industries in any countryis the traditional knowledge that underlies that country’sdistinctive forms of creative expression: the songs, dances,poetry, stories, images and symbols that are the unique heritageof the land and its people. This knowledge is kept aliveby written, oral and pictorial transmission of cultural traditionsfrom one generation to the next. Like any kind ofknowledge, it does not stand still but is constantly reinterpretedand adapted to new formats. It is accessed by peoplein many different ways, serving as a rich cultural resourcefrom which a wide variety of creative expressions can bederived. Some of these are routine and everyday in nature,such as traditional styles and patterns of clothing; other culturalexpressions are created and interpreted by artists usingboth traditional and modern skills to produce music, folkart, works of visual arts, literature, performances, films,crafts, and so on.Thus the transformation of traditional knowledgeinto creative goods and services reflects the cultural values ofa country and its people. At the same time, these productsalso have economic potential; they may be in demand by localconsumers or they may enter international marketing channelsto satisfy demand from consumers in other countries.The essential feature of the creative industries, which link thetraditional knowledge at one end of the value chain with theultimate consumer at the other end, is their capacity to serveboth cultural and economic objectives in the developmentprocess. Chapter 6 will present a broader analysis of mattersrelating to intellectual property, including the protection oftraditional cultural expressions.38 CREATIVE ECONOMY REPORT 2010