" ”Creative, Cultural and Experience Industry
- is this the new
growth factor of the EU?”"
The seminar in Brussels on December 6th was arranged by the Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research (FSF), the Swedish Agency for Econimic and Regional Growth (NUTEK) and the Swedish Institute for Growth Policy Studies (ITPS).
Creative Industries is a hot topic in the EU. That was shown by a seminar in Brussels December 6 which gathered more than 60 delegates. The seminar was arranged by ITPS Swedish Institute for Growth Policy Studies, FSF Swedish foundation for small Business Research an NUTEK Swedish Agency fro Economic and Regional Growth. The title for the seminar was "Creative, Cultural and Experience Industry - is this the new growth factor of the EU?
Mr Lars Bager-Sjögren from the Swedish Growth Policy Studies, ITPS, presented a comparison between two aggregates concerning creative industries. One of aggregates was defined by the KEA-report and the other from the Swedish Knowledge Foundation. Statistics regarding all Swedish companies in those two aggregates shows that of approx 300 000 employees 165 000 of them are in different branches.
Mr Nigel Culkin from University of Hertfordshire, which has the largest faculty for Creative & Cultural industries in the region, informed that the UK has defined 13 different sectors for the Creative Industries. The significance of the creative sector in the new economy is an important part of the emerging new economy. EU has a long history of creative and rich cultural heritage and UK has a legacy of British Empire and earlier industrialisation. Nigel pointed out four important areas for the government to improve:
• Career choice
•
The relevance of training provision
•
Diversity in the workplace
•
Management/decision making in the firm
From the left: Magnus Andersson, Nigel Culkin, Petra Nilsson-Andersen,
Lars Bager Sjögren and Sylvain Pasqua.
Ms Petra Nilsson-Andersen from Nordic Innovation presented the new report "Green Paper - a Creative Economy for the Nordic Region" that was published the same day as the seminar (see more www.nordicinnovation.net ). The objective of this Green Paper is to open up a policy debate about the drivers of the Creative Industries in the Nordic region, and to understand the opportunities and challenges facing the sector. It is designed to help policy-makers from the local to national level recognize the potential - and seriousness - of the Creative Economy; and identify ways to support the Creative Industries in a more coordinated, connected way.
Mr Magnus Andersson CEO Orrefors/Kosta Boda spooke about how "The New Wave Group" became the tenth owner of the glasshouse.
- We understood early that these glasshouses were a very strong Swedish brand even if the company was close to a bankruptcy. Instead of seeing all the problems that the company was facing, the new owners started to se all the opportunities. Their new ambition was to attract visitors to the glasshouse that bought not only the glasses but stayed at hotels and ate at the restaurants in the area. It should be an experience to visit the glassworks. Orrefors/KostaBoda contracted several known Swedish designers to design a new glasses and a "Chrystal-hotel" with the same concept as the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi. Each room should be designed in glass by different designers.
Magnus also told the audience about his "Madmans Strategy" that is not to put to much time and effort in thinking, just do it! "Believe in people, position brands, search for passion, train for skills, regional positivism, proactive on finding new markets".
Mr Sylvain Pasqua, from Education and Culture European Commission meant that Creative Industries is an hyped word in EU and other countries. In EU they are speaking about "Culture Industries and The Economy of Culture". We must learn more about business-models and entrepreneurship and also have the courage to break a pattern. Go gather intelligence, evidence-based policy-making requires better statistical tools that could be used to evaluate policies.
