If Ireland truly wants to develop and be at the cutting edge of the smart economy, then an integrated national strategy to develop the creative sector is essential.
This is the view of Western Development Commission and NUI Galway innovation experts at a seminar entitled ‘Creative Industries, Innovation & the Smart Economy’ held at the university recently.
The Smart Economy Framework, launched by the Government in December 2008, identifies the creative, cultural, and arts sector as important for national recovery and building a more knowledge and innovation intensive economy.
Speaking at the seminar Lisa McAllister, WDC chief executive, said: “Creativity should be firmly placed at the core of the smart economy where wealth creation will be increasingly driven by ideas, intangibles, and the creative application of information and communications technology.”
While she acknowledged that the economic downturn imposes restraints, she said future policy decisions should include investment in infrastructure so that the creative businesses which locate in the west of Ireland can access international market through air, roads and rail links and through fast, cheap, broadband.
The seminar heard research carried out by the WDC to investigate the size of the creative sector in the western region and to identify the key issues faced by people working in the sector.
The Western Region is predominantly rural with 68 per cent of the population living in rural areas and the region having few large centres.
It estimated that in 2008 there were 4,779 creative businesses operating in the west, directly employing more than 11,000 people. This generated an annual turnover of €534 million and directly contributed €270 million to the gross value added of the regional economy. The research also showed that creative businesses in the west tend to be small scale and that there is a high level of entrepreneurship among creative people with 39 per cent of them self-employed.
Creative talent is seen as an asset in a rural region and the seminar heard calls for policies to retain and attract creative talent because creativity is one of the key areas for potential economic growth.
“The presence of a strong creative sector in a region can also drive creative thinking in other sectors,” said Ms McAllister, “as well as stimulating new ways of thinking and new ways of doing things.”
