Last year, we were invited to Brussels to take part in a consultation workshop conducted by the Austrian Institute for SME Research and VVA Europe on behalf of the Executive Agency for SME enterprises (EASME) of the European Commission.
The boosting the competitiveness of cultural and creative industries for growth and jobs study has been published. Here are some of the key findings:
- Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) play a vital role in fostering economic growth, job creation and innovation and have been identified by the European Commission as a high growth sector generating added value as well as a resilient sector in times of economic crisis
- The study indicates that CCIs initiate crossover effects on other industries and are in a position to act as catalysts for innovation in the overall economy
- The largest sectors within the core CCIs in the European Union are books & press, software & games, and advertising
- Creative industries require a highly specialised workforce. Skills needed include business knowledge and creative entrepreneurship, technical and traditional skills and crafts, as well as e-skills
- In order to promote create skills, the study stresses that the aim should be on stronger partnerships between cultural and creative sectors, social partners and education and training providers.