Creative Cluster

Source: WIPO

The term "Creative Cluster" refers to the geographic concentration of a creative industry (craft, film, music, publishing, interactive software, design, etc.) that pools together its resources in order to optimize the creation, production, dissemination and exploitation of creative works. Such clustering activity eventually leads to the formation of a network and the establishment of partnerships.

However, due to the nature of these industries, the formation of creative clusters tends to not follow the conventional process of "cluster formation", which generally speaking, tend to be attracted to an area by its market potential (enhanced cluster-based competitiveness) or to the existence of a technology institution or university. In the case of the creative industries, enterprise clustering occurs organically, given that many creative projects are done on a collaborative and project-based basis.

Case studies:

1. Quatier21 (Austria): Museum
2. Maniago (Italy): Consorzio Coltellinai Maniago (Cutlers of Maniago)
3. Moradabad UP (India)
4. Lahti (Finland): Wood Processing (see p. 13) [PDF]
5. Smaland (Sweden)
6. Southwestern Montana (United States): Artists and Writers [PDF]

Links on creative clusters:

1. What are Creative Clusters? (UNESCO)
2. Dynamic Cities and Creative Clusters (by Weiping Wu) [PDF]
3. Knowledge, Technology and Cluster-Based Growth in Africa: Findings from Eleven Case Studies of Enterprise Clusters in Africa (by Douglas Zhihua Zeng) [PDF]
4. Creative Clusters: Towards the governance of the creative industries production system? (Andy C. Pratt) [PDF]
5. Creative Clusters (Simon Evans)
6. Tourist quality labels: An incentive for the sustainable development of creative clusters as a tourist attractions?
7. The Economics of Cultural Districts: Value, Impact, Policy and Sustainability (Santagata,W and Trimarchi, M) [PDF]
8. Montana Creative Enterprises Cluster
9. Scottish Creative Enterprises Cluster [PDF]
10. New England Creative Cluster [PDF]

Creative clusters play a vital role in the social and economic development of a region and nation. As a result many countries consciously embark on implementing policies to create an encouraging environment for the prosperity of the creative industries. Such policies include those related to the strengthening of national intellectual property regimes.