The creative economy is an economic field that is based on individual and collective creativity, skills and talent. The creative economy can provide well-being and jobs by creating intellectual property and using this as the primary sales argument. Creative people are at the centre of these processes.
The definition of the creative economy sector is based on consensus. It changes somewhat over time and differs by region. In Estonia, the fields and sub-fields of activity in the creative economy sector include the following:
Area | Sub-area |
---|---|
Architecture | architecture, interior architecture, landscape architecture, planning (related activities) |
Audiovisual field | film and video, broadcasting |
Design | product and unique design, design services |
Performing arts | theatre, dance, festivals |
Publishing | publishing, printing (related activities) |
Cultural heritage |
handicraft, museums, libraries
|
Arts | visual arts, retail sales of art supplies, framing, restoration, production of art works (related activities) |
Entertainment software | smartphone, online, computer and console games; service providers, importers, localisers for game developers (related activities) |
Music | composers and musicians; production and live performances; manufacture and sale of musical instruments; reproduction and sales of recordings; auxiliary activities related to concert organising (related activities) |
Advertising | advertising, media intermediation |
Between 2008 and 2013, the promotion of the creative economy was in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications’ area of responsibility. Starting in 2014, the development of the creative economy has been the assignment of the Ministry of Culture, based on the principles of cultural policy delineated by Culture 2020, the Estonian Business Growth Strategy 2014-2020, and the provisions of the implementation plan of the European Union Structural and Investment Funds for 2014-2020
Statistics
To date, the Estonian creative economy sector has been mapped by the Estonian Institute of Economic Research on four occasions. The latest data, collected in 2018, and the data collected in 2015-16 indicate the following:
- The revenue of the creative economy sector totals €1,481 million (2.9% of GDP).
- The creative economy sector employs 30,681 people (4.8% of those employed).
- 9,098 companies and institutions (11.6% of the total) are active in the creative economy sector or “culture and creative industries”
Cultural industries
Cultural industries is a branch of the economy, which produces and distributes goods and services that are believed to have special properties, uses or purposes at the time of their development, which include or carry cultural value despite their commercial value. This includes theatre performances, the visual arts, cultural heritage, cinema, DVDs and videos, television and radio, video games, new media, music, books and printed materials.
Creative industries
Creative industries, as opposed to cultural industries, also include other areas of the economy, which use culture as an input and have a cultural dimension, but the output of which is mainly functional (i.e., architecture, design, fashion, advertising). In Estonia the term “creative industries” is used to denote the same meaning as the European Union term “cultural and creative industries” or “culture and creative industries”.
Creative industries and the European Union
The Creative Europe programme provides a means for supporting Europe’s cinema, art and creative economy, in order to create jobs in Europe and accelerate economic growth, as well as to be open to new international opportunities, markets and target groups.
Between 2014 and 2020, a total of €20 million from the European Regional Development Fund will be invested in the development of Estonia’s creative economy, along with the self-financing of those carrying out the projects.
Enterprise Estonia (EAS)
Enterprise Estonia is the organisation that is implementing and carrying out the creative economy development measure. Enterprise Estonia carries out many other programmes that are also available to the representatives of the creative economy sector, including programmes related to awareness, knowledge and skills, clusters and co-marketing.
Regional and thematic development centres
- Estonian Centre of Architecture
- Estonian Design Centre
- Estonian Film Institute
- Creative Gate
- Music Estonia
- Estonian Contemporary Art Development Centre
- ARS Art Factory
- IGDA Estonia
- Creative Estonia
Creative economy incubators and business accelerators
Anu-Maaja Pallok
Adviser (Creative Industries)
Phone +372 628 2234
anu-maaja.pallok@kul.ee