Beyond the Craft Ghetto : Harnessing Creative Industries to Support Development

Creative industries and the creative economy are relatively new fields in terms of study and analysis. Understanding of their relationship to international development is even more embryonic. Using a cross-disciplinary approach, this paper attempts to summarise some of the key areas of thought, highlighting why this is an important area for additional research. It focuses on specific initiatives where public policy might pro-actively support and influence the growth of a successful creative sector. The paper explores the importance of the digital revolution in enabling creative industries in developing countries to access global markets. It argues that the creative industries have the capacity to be a transformative influence through generating cultural confidence, which can impact on social and economic development