Throsby (2008) - Modeling the cultural industries
The way in which an economic approach to interpreting the scope of the creative and cultural
industries can lead to a reasonable basis for defining them. Confusion and disagreement of
distinction between cultural and creative industries (came later), if there is any. Theoretical
discussions that want to define ‘culture’, ‘creativity’ and ‘industry’ and economists who strive
for a pragmatic and objective definition. The meaning of concepts may be imposed by a
particular policy-making agenda. Identify alternative approaches to modelling the cultural
industries as a basis for understanding the differences in classification systems they entail and
as a means towards a more useful policy analysis. From singular to plural definition. We
should not see it as a sell-out, but as a way to legitimise this branch in the eye of the economic
policymakers. The task of cultural policy must be to find that elusive balance between
economic and cultural value creation in the production and use of art and culture in
contemporary society. Definitions and differences in cultural (or creative) industries.
UNESCO defines cultural industries as those that combine the creation, production and
commercialisation of contents which are intangible and cultural in nature. These contents are
typically protected by copyright and they can take the form of goods or services. Cultural
goods and service (1) require some input of human creativity, (2) are vehicles for symbolic
messages (more than utilitarian) and (3) they contain some intellectual property. They are a
subset of a wider category of goods that can be called creative goods and services.
- 6 models of the cultural industries = UK–DCMS Model (aiming at creativity and
innovation, creative industries as those requiring creativity, skill and talent, with potential for
wealth and job creation through exploitation of their intellectual property), Symbolic Texts
Model (critical-cultural-industries approach that makes a distinction between high and
popular arts, culture is formed through symbolic texts which are conveyed by means of
various media such as film), Concentric Circles Model (the cultural value of cultural goods
gives these industries their most distinguishing characteristic, ideas and influences diffuse
outwards through a series of layers or ‘concentric circles’), WIPO Copyright Model
(industries that have anything to do with copyrighted works, focus on intellectual property),
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) Model (5 ‘core cultural domains’: cultural and
natural heritage; performance and celebration; visual arts, crafts and design; books and press;
and audiovisual and digital media) & Americans for the Arts Model (identifying businesses
involved with the production and distribution of the arts, labelled as ‘arts-centric businesses’).
WIPO is more broad than Concentric Circles.
The way in which an economic approach to interpreting the scope of the creative and cultural
industries can lead to a reasonable basis for defining them. Confusion and disagreement of
distinction between cultural and creative industries (came later), if there is any. Theoretical
discussions that want to define ‘culture’, ‘creativity’ and ‘industry’ and economists who strive
for a pragmatic and objective definition. The meaning of concepts may be imposed by a
particular policy-making agenda. Identify alternative approaches to modelling the cultural
industries as a basis for understanding the differences in classification systems they entail and
as a means towards a more useful policy analysis. From singular to plural definition. We
should not see it as a sell-out, but as a way to legitimise this branch in the eye of the economic
policymakers. The task of cultural policy must be to find that elusive balance between
economic and cultural value creation in the production and use of art and culture in
contemporary society. Definitions and differences in cultural (or creative) industries.
UNESCO defines cultural industries as those that combine the creation, production and
commercialisation of contents which are intangible and cultural in nature. These contents are
typically protected by copyright and they can take the form of goods or services. Cultural
goods and service (1) require some input of human creativity, (2) are vehicles for symbolic
messages (more than utilitarian) and (3) they contain some intellectual property. They are a
subset of a wider category of goods that can be called creative goods and services.
- 6 models of the cultural industries = UK–DCMS Model (aiming at creativity and
innovation, creative industries as those requiring creativity, skill and talent, with potential for
wealth and job creation through exploitation of their intellectual property), Symbolic Texts
Model (critical-cultural-industries approach that makes a distinction between high and
popular arts, culture is formed through symbolic texts which are conveyed by means of
various media such as film), Concentric Circles Model (the cultural value of cultural goods
gives these industries their most distinguishing characteristic, ideas and influences diffuse
outwards through a series of layers or ‘concentric circles’), WIPO Copyright Model
(industries that have anything to do with copyrighted works, focus on intellectual property),
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) Model (5 ‘core cultural domains’: cultural and
natural heritage; performance and celebration; visual arts, crafts and design; books and press;
and audiovisual and digital media) & Americans for the Arts Model (identifying businesses
involved with the production and distribution of the arts, labelled as ‘arts-centric businesses’).
WIPO is more broad than Concentric Circles.
