The Culture Working Group (CWG) under India’s G20 Presidency recently organised a Global Thematic Webinar on the Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries and Creative Economy. This webinar, which was the third in a series of four, aimed to facilitate an in-depth discussion from an expert-driven perspective. It was held on April 19th, from 12:30 pm to 8:30 pm IST, and was attended by 43 experts from 28 countries, including G20 members and guest nations, as well as 13 international organizations and relevant institutions.
Highlights and Key points
- The Culture Working Group (CWG) under India’s G20 Presidency organized a Global Thematic Webinar on the Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries and Creative Economy.
- The webinar brought together 43 experts from 28 countries, including G20 members and guest nations, as well as 13 international organizations and relevant institutions.
- The creative industry has become a significant contributor to economic growth and development, with global exports of creative goods and services reaching US$524 million and US$1.1 trillion, respectively, in 2020.
- The sector employs the largest number of people in the age group of 15-29, showing its potential for growth in the future.
- South-South trade in creative goods has doubled in the last two decades, comprising 40.5% of creative exports of developing economies in 2020.
- The informal structure of the creative industry presents a significant obstacle to achieving sustainable growth, with the informal economy accounting for an estimated 60% of the global creative industry.
- The webinar aimed to promote the formalization of the sector and establish an environment where creativity and innovation can thrive.
- The webinar highlighted the positive impact of cultural and creative industries in promoting freedom of expression, cross-cultural dialogue, and empowering individuals and communities.
- Representatives from the G20, guest nations, and international organizations shared data demonstrating the substantial contribution of the creative economy to their respective national GDPs.
Table of Contents
Introduction
In today’s globalized world, the role of cultural and creative industries and the creative economy in an international economic context cannot be overstated. These industries have become drivers of growth, as seen in the global exports of creative goods and services, which reached US$524 million and US$1.1 trillion, respectively, in 2020, according to the Creative Economy Outlook 2022 by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years.
Youth Engagement in Cultural and Creative Industries
The engagement of youth in cultural and creative industries is noteworthy, as the sector employs the largest number of people in the age group of 15-29. This trend has been observed in both developed and developing economies. It is a positive sign that the younger generation is taking an interest in these industries, and it shows that the creative industry has a lot of potential for growth in the future.
Importance of Cultural and Creative Industries in South-South Trade
In the context of South-South trade, the cultural and creative industries are increasingly important as a source of continued economic growth and development. In the last two decades, South-South trade in creative goods has doubled, comprising 40.5% of creative exports of developing economies in 2020. Additionally, since 2011, developing economies have exported more creative goods than developed economies.
Challenges in the Informal Structure of Creative Industry
Although the creative industry holds a great deal of importance, its persistent informal structure presents a significant obstacle to achieving sustainable growth. Currently, the informal economy accounts for an estimated 60 percent of the global creative industry, impacting the status of cultural practitioners and having far-reaching consequences for the broader economy. The contributions of this sector are undervalued, making it essential to establish a cohesive network to address these challenges. To do so, it is crucial to promote international collaboration, enabling critical deliberation on necessary measures towards formalisation.
Key Interventions of the Global Thematic Webinar
The webinar had three speaking segments, and the interventions by experts were distributed across these segments based on their respective time zones. The webinar was moderated successively by representatives of ILO, UNCTAD, and WIPO with expertise on the topic.
Positive Impact of Cultural and Creative Industries
Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Chair, CWG, emphasised the importance of fostering a vibrant and inclusive cultural ecosystem that values and supports creativity. It can have positive impacts on individuals, communities, and society. The cultural and creative sector is also a catalyst for change, empowering individuals and communities, promoting freedom of expression and cross-cultural dialogue. It is, therefore, essential to support this sector and establish an environment where creativity and innovation can thrive.
Substantial Contribution of Creative Economy
At the webinar, representatives from the G20, guest nations, and international organizations shared data demonstrating the substantial contribution of the creative economy to their respective national GDPs. Certain interventions emphasized that the creative economy also serves as the basis for a unified, human-centered society that upholds
The Significance of the Webinar
The Global Thematic Webinar on the Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries and Creative Economy has a significant role in bringing together experts from various parts of the world to discuss the importance of cultural and creative industries in driving economic growth and development. With the increasing globalization of the world economy, these industries have become vital drivers of growth, as demonstrated by the substantial contribution of the creative economy to national GDPs. The webinar aimed to foster an inclusive dialogue and facilitate an in-depth discussion from an expert-driven perspective to promote the formalization of the sector and establish an environment where creativity and innovation can thrive.
The Participants
The webinar brought together 43 experts from 28 countries, including G20 members and guest nations, as well as 13 international organizations and relevant institutions. The participants shared their best practices on the promotion of cultural and creative industries and creative economy, with interventions distributed across three speaking segments based on their respective time zones. The webinar was moderated successively by representatives of ILO, UNCTAD, and WIPO with expertise on the topic and was live-streamed on the YouTube channel of UNESCO.
The Role of Cultural and Creative Industries in Economic Development
In today’s globalized world, the creative industry has become a significant contributor to economic growth and development. The global exports of creative goods and services reached US$524 million and US$1.1 trillion, respectively, in 2020, according to the Creative Economy Outlook 2022 by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. These industries have also become crucial drivers of employment, especially for young people in the age group of 15-29, with the sector employing the largest number of people in this age group.
South-South Trade and Cultural and Creative Industries
In the context of South-South trade, the cultural and creative industries have become increasingly important as a source of continued economic growth and development. South-South trade in creative goods has doubled in the last two decades, comprising 40.5% of creative exports of developing economies in 2020. Moreover, since 2011, developing economies have exported more creative goods than developed economies.
Challenges in the Creative Industry
Despite the significant contribution of the creative industry to economic development, its persistent informal structure presents a significant obstacle to achieving sustainable growth. Currently, the informal economy accounts for an estimated 60 percent of the global creative industry, impacting the status of cultural practitioners and having far-reaching consequences for the broader economy. The contributions of this sector are undervalued, making it essential to establish a cohesive network to address these challenges. To do so, it is crucial to promote international collaboration, enabling critical deliberation on necessary measures towards formalization.
Interventions and Best Practices
During the webinar, representatives from the G20, guest nations, and international organizations shared data demonstrating the substantial contribution of the creative economy to their respective national GDPs. Certain interventions emphasized that the creative economy also serves as the basis for a unified, human-centered society that upholds cultural diversity as a fundamental principle. The discussion specifically highlighted the transformative changes brought about by the digital revolution, and more recently, by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in relation to emerging business models and cutting-edge technologies.
Several countries indicated that the cultural and creative industries have increasingly become a core priority, as evidenced by the establishment of dedicated ministries in some cases. A number of countries have implemented policies aimed at improving the status of cultural practitioners, promoting fairness in compensation, and enhancing inclusivity and equity in the cultural sector.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading about India’s G20 CWG Global Thematic Webinar on Creative Industries. The event highlighted the significance of cultural and creative industries in promoting freedom of expression, cross-cultural dialogue, and empowering individuals and communities. We invite you to subscribe and follow to stay updated on the latest news and events in the cultural and creative industries.
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