The KEA Blog

Reviewing Community innovation policy - A place for culture-based creativity?

EC innovation policy is characterised by its strong emphasis on spending in R & D (the 3% Lisbon goal) and its faith in technological innovation. The financial means of the Framework programmes, the CIP and the structural funds as well as EIB instruments are geared towards considering innovation as a result of technological progress. The EC's Communication "Reviewing Community innovation policy in a changing world" of 02.09.2009 is another illustration of this techno-centric vision. It is time for the creative and the cultural sector to influence policy decision making.  

Art and Cultural learning to stimulate creativity

In recent years creativity has become a prevailing catchword. In a society constantly aspiring to innovation and “progress”, creativity incarnates the trends for novelty, dynamism and excitement. At different levels - individuals, enterprises, cities, regions or countries, policy makers are increasingly taking up “creativity” as their motto.

Europe’s place in the world is increasingly determined by its capacity to keep innovating both economically and socially. With an economic context characterised by financial upheavals, with growing environmental concerns and a need to focus on sustainable development, the 21^st century requires us to think differently and creatively about economic and human development. Creativity is considered as key to addressing those challenges and education can play a decisive role in developing and advancing creativity.

The Impact of Culture on Creativity

These days creativity seems to be everywhere. The term has turned into a catch phrase, used in the media, in policy statements and in academic literature. Creativity consequently means different things to different people. You can be a creative accountant or a creative football player. Likewise, management literature has turned creativity into an essential means to stimulate productivity in the work place. As a result, the notion of creativity has become ubiquitous and has lately been used to describe vaguely defined capacities that are attributed to creative people. A more tangible notion of the concept of creativity and an assessment of its relationship with the European cultural sphere is therefore required.

Towards a European sport policy?

Towards a European sport policy?

"Sport is a growing social and economic phenomenon which makes an important contribution to the European Union's strategic objectives of solidarity and prosperity." The first sentence of the European Commission's White Paper on Sport, published on 11 July 2007, can be said to encapsulate the importance and complexity of the role of sport in Europe.

The Conditional Access Directive: a lesser known instrument to fight piracy

The Audiovisual Industry and the Digital Revolution

After years of uninterrupted talking about convergence and the turbulent ups and downs of the dot.com bubble, it seems that the digital revolution is at last bringing its promised benefits to Europe. Broadband uptake is surging everywhere, mobile penetration is close to saturation (with 3G handsets gradually replacing existing phones) and the planned digital switch-over is transforming the way people watch TV, the most popular media of all time. Content, the self-proclaimed king of this revolution, is finally going to be available “anytime, anywhere”.

Creativity: driving local economic development

1.Economic and social contribution of the creative sector

In today’s knowledge-based society the rationale for publicly supporting the cultural and creative sector goes beyond the traditional “arts for arts sake” approach. Fostering sector development is based on multiple social, cultural and economic objectives. Culture and creativity are considered vital factors in attracting talented individuals and investment. They also foster economic development, local regeneration and strengthen cultural diversity and social integration.

Make VoD an opportunity for European Films

Are there lessons to be learned from the experience in the music sector?

Seven years after the start of Napster the music industry is still struggling to find a business model. The turnover of the music industry has decreased by almost 50% in five years. Neither the download business nor other internet business has been able to compensate for lost sales at retail level.This is the lesson film people should really think about.

Presentation, Berlin 4th May - The Economy of Culture, Proposal for a European strategy

The obvious is that culture and creativity is not a priority policy objective whether at national or European level. However there are encouraging signs. In March 2007 at the Brussels Council meeting Head of states and Governments requested the European Commission to take the creative industries into account in relation to its internal market policy.

Furthermore the European Commission is working on its communication on culture following the report on the economy of culture in Europe. The President of the European Commission Mr Barroso is talking about setting a cultural agenda for Europe. The EU is also celebrating the entry into force of the UNESCO convention on cultural diversity. Now that the creative industries have got the ears of the policy makers we might be for some good surprises in the months ahead. However we should be guarded from excessive optimism. This also means that we have to work hard – together – to ensure that creativity and culture is given the place it deserves in policy making and that the right policies are adopted.

It is against this background that I would like to make my contribution.

The Economy of Culture in Europe - A strategy for a creative Europe

Modern economies are not built with capital or labour as much as by ideas. Numerous EU Member States are assessing the impact of intellectually based businesses on the economy. A raft of United Nations agencies, covering health, development or trade, are disputing over how best to enforce copyright and make use of culture as a tool for economic development.

The powers of the European Union in cultural matters are recent, dating back to the adoption of the Maastricht treaty in 1993. They focus chiefly on the ideas of enhancing heritage and cultural cooperation between Member States. However EU policy makers largely ignore the commercial, social and industrial dimension of creativity and culture.

KEA’s study on the Economy of Culture which was completed for the European Commission, casts some light on this unexplored field. It captures the direct and indirect socio-economic impact of the cultural and creative sector in Europe, but it also and most significantly finds out that, in the context of the Lisbon agenda, creativity cannot be relegated to the rank of the optional and superfluous, especially when Europe's competitivity and influence in the world is at stake.

Collective Management of Rights - A European Model?

Rights management is at the heart of Europe's creative industries.

Collective management is also an area where Europe has a leading market position in the world. In the EU there are approximately 65 music licensing societies which collected 5 billion euro in 2004 on behalf of authors, composers, performers and record companies.

SONY/BMG – Milestone Judgement of the European Court of Justice for the Creative industries in Europe

This article is a response to the editorial of Paul Betts published on 13th July - Court edicts put record industry in spin.

It may not generate the kind of public displays of enthusiasm we associate with the World Cup, but it is still a major victory – and one well worth celebrating. I refer to a recent decision by the European Court of Justice, whereby thousands of companies and artists have gained credibility and influence in the debate on the structure of the creative industries and have won recognition for their role in a market that in recent years has become increasingly dominated by a few “big players”.