Page 59 - Communication Cultural and Media Studies The Key Concepts

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

be located in metropolitan centres or one of the many ‘silicon (v)alleys’
in order to play a global role. Music, animation, design, publishing,
interactive media, e-commerce and entertainment are all cottage
industries on the creative or supply side, relying on small/medium
enterprises (SMEs) and freelance creative talent working via short-
lived projects. The need in this context is for interdisciplinary clusters,
flexible and highly porous teams, creative enterprises rather than large-
scale vertically integrated industries.
The creative industries are a significant sector of the global
economy. The UK government has identified the following cluster as
the creative industries:
. Advertising
. Architecture
. Arts and antiques markets
. Crafts
. Design
. Designer fashion
. Film
. Interactive leisure software
. Music
. Performing arts
. Publishing
. Software
. Television and radio

In the UK these creative industries generated revenues of around
£112.5 billion and employed some 1.3 million people in 2001.
Exports contributed around £10.3 billion to the balance of trade, and
the industries accounted for over 5 per cent of GDP. In 1997–8,
output grewby 16 per cent, compared to under 6 per cent for the
economy as a whole (Culture, Media and Sport, 2001).
In addition, the following sectors were recognised for their ‘close
economic relationships’ with the creative industries:
. Heritage
. Hospitality
. Museums and galleries
. Sport
. Tourism

It may be argued that the ‘creative industries’ extend and dissolve ever
further into the services sector, and that this entire sector is faced with

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