MAPPING CULTURE

The framework is based on the concept of the ‘creative chain’, which is similar to the
‘culture cycle’ concept used in the UNESCO cultural framework. A creative chain is a
sequence of activities during which value is added to a new product as it moves from
initial idea to production and use. The interlinked stages in a creative chain are:
creation, production, dissemination and use. Figure 7 (below) illustrates the circular
nature of a creative chain, where the feedback process can happen at any point of the
chain and inspire new ideas. The stages involved in the ‘creative chain’ are a little
different from the ‘culture cycle’ in the UNESCO framework. In particular, the
‘exhibition/reception/transmission’ and ‘consumption/participation’ stages are merged
into one category named ‘use’. This categorisation aims to address the methodological
problem of measuring consumption and participation regarding paid and unpaid
cultural activities and, therefore, the generic term ‘use’ embraces consumption,
participation, attendance, etc.
Figure 7. Feedback process in the creative chain (Statistics Canada, 2011, p.27)
Economic and cultural globalisation has prompted the need for international
comparative data for the cultural industries. The merit of this Canadian framework
has been its intention to ‘deal with many of these methodological differences at a
national level, and attempt to use concepts proposed by UNESCO, to improve our
ability to share data at international level’ (Statistics Canada, 2011, p.78).
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