A measure for the creative economy Andy C Pratt Culture, Media and Creative Industries

Policy making based upon transparency Critical in policy process, terms of evaluation considered at the start. Possibility of learning Key is identification of processes, not indicators –Understand what is happening Evidence Based Policy

Which term: Culture industry Cultural industries Creative industries Creative and cultural industries Creative economy Is it: For profit/ not Public subsidy/not Art/culture / not Formal/ informal Whats in a name?

In the past –Data was collected for advocacy purposes –It was not used for evaluation What we need –Core concepts and theories –Information (quantitative and qualitative) –Comparative information –Policy development Data for the creative economy

What we dont know In the dark Invisible We dont know how much of what We dont know what causes what What we do know Data on the sector – external analysis (usually collected for other purposes) Data of the sector – internal needs Data for governance of the sector (collected for purpose) Why we dont know Concepts and definitions Unstable, or inappropriate Rapidity of change Its new Its in the informal economy How its organised Creative economy data: characteristics

Descriptive models of relationship of creative economy to the rest –Or Value chain – maximising value Production chain – organisation of cultural production –Or, No concept, but various indicators Concepts

The creative economy production cycle Particular characteristics need attention The production chain Inter-relationship of production processes (vertically and horizontally) Scale(s) of operation creationmanufacturereproductionexchangeArchiving/education

Definitions –Concept driven –Search for data to describe the process –Necessarily, absences and presences –Some data does not exist –Definitions can be refined, or locally specific But concept is stable Definitions

Employment –Occupation –Industry –Location Time Use Spending/ Consumption Trade What to measure?

E.g. Employment Which industries (use of SIC codes) Which occupations (use of SOC codes) Trade Which classifications (product classification CPC, EBOPS) Fix other parameters (firm sizes, turnover etc.) Spatial units Time periods Operationalise the concept

References

Cultural Trade Ideal Material/Goods –By weight and value –Traditional goods Services Immaterial –Value? –Royalties? Pragmatism –Disaggregation of classification –Missing New goods Non discernable –Missing –Value to whom? –Disaggregate –Still invisible –Reliability

Cultural goods: a pragmatic solution used by UNCTAD 1 - A fine art painting 2 - A newspaper or book 3 - Designer furniture 4 - Designed furniture (high design content, mass produced) 5 - Industrial design 6 - Mass production of most other products 7a/7b - Distribution of cultural products (distinction not possible 7a-7b with current industrial taxonomies) 8 - Distribution of all other products

Understanding processes, and organisation Different business models/ objectives Resources (new collection, survey instruments, analytic skills, interpretive) Legitimacy (no estimates, public data) Comparative data/ benchmarking Observatories/ Laboratories Next steps?

Role of intelligent agents Knowledge brokers Information dissemination Cultural practice mentors Management / organisational skills Strategic development Third sector (beyond Silo mentality) Governance, not simply regulation nor policy objectives Possibilities: for policy making and governance

Creative economy audits are simply a start They must be more differentiated They must be adaptable to change They must to comparable We need to examine process, and context The future may not be like the past Business models Policy based on how it is, not how it should be, nor is supposed to be. Governance actually about governing (and transforming/ developing) Beyond the creative economy audit

Resources for institution building Collection/Distribution of royalties Development of audiences/markets Alliances between Northern markets and South Correspondences between (regional) government agencies in measurement Data for different purposes : not ONE definition Capacity building