Creative Industries in the UK: Lessons Learned

Lecture by Dr. Andy C. Pratt, Department of Geography, London School of Economics arranged by the Creative Encounters research project at CBS.

Creative/Cultural Industries and policy: Lessons from the UK experience

In recent years the notion of the creative industries has become a 'must have' for cities and nation states around the world. Although it was not the first, the UK has been widely used as an example of how the creative industries may be supported by public policy. Arguably, however, both the notion of the creative industries and the UK's 'policy' are lacking in content and purpose.

In this lecture, Dr. Andy Pratt will critically review the concept, history, cultural policy, and current status of 'creative industries' initiatives in the UK. He will offer some positive and negative lessons from the UK experience; some suggestions as to what might 'travel' as an export, and what will not. He will conclude with some thoughts about cultural industries and policy in an international context.

Andy Pratt is Reader in Urban Cultural Economy, and Director of Centre for Urban Research at LSE. In addition to carrying out research in Europe, North America, Australia and Japan, he has advised policy makers in the UK Department of Culture Media and Sport, and in places as diverse as Osaka, Shanghai, New Orleans, Barcelona and Bilbao, and has acted as a consultant for UNESCO, UNCTAD and ILO on issues associated with the cultural economy.

A selection of his work is available for download from his web page www.lse.ac.uk or, enter the term 'andy c'