Abstract

The creative industries have been high on the agenda of policymakers in recent years, as is evidenced by the EU Lisbon Strategy, which identifies creativity and innovation as a means to enhance competitiveness through quality and differentiation.1 Recent Irish policy documents have also emphasised this role of creativity and innovation in providing industry with a competitive advantage. The Irish government’s policy document entitled “Building Ireland’s Smart Economy” (2008), sets out a framework for sustainable economic development over the 2009-2014 period based on five action areas.2 One of these action areas, Creating the Innovation Island, involves leveraging the Arts, Culture and Creative Sectors as world class business sector. This recognizes the arts, cultural and creative industries as key and primary economic contributors, and acknowledges that the challenges for creative industries differ from those in traditional export sectors. The action area identifies intellectual property protection and commercialisation as top priorities, and advocates a policy supporting research and development (R&D) investment in human and creative capital. The Dublin Economic Development Action Plan (2009) also places a strong emphasis on creating a vibrant city, and attaining and retaining creative people.3 Among the report’s action plans are measures to support the role of the creative industries in developing the knowledge economy through the delivery of local cultural/economic strategies in recognition that culture is essential to Dublin’s economic vitality.