PACIFICSTREAM

To contribute to positive social changes in Russia by bringing Creative Industries approach and expertise to Siberia region from the UK and to develop an efficient model for creative clusters initiation & development in the industrial cities of Siberia


Report by Roy Jones on the way forward for the creative industries in the region

Seminar on the Creative Industries Development
Krasnoyarsk
September 19th – 21st 2006
A brief report by Roy Jones MFA

Why develop the creative industries…

The creative industries can bring wealth, opportunity, employment and regeneration to local, regional and national economies. This has been proved in the way the CIs have contributed to the regional NW economy. Supported companies move out of agency environments and achieve sustainable commercial success in their own right.
A creative industry agency can address the following major shortfalls in existing business support:

• Traditional areas of business support are not geared up to dealing with creative businesses;
• There are challenges with persuading talented entrepreneurs of the importance of commercial skills and;
• There are challenges with clients about the worth of their Intellectual Property

What is the definition of the creative industries?

“…those industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property.”
This includes the following sectors: Advertising, Architecture, Crafts, Design, Designer Fashion, Film and Video, Interactive Leisure Software, Music, Performing Arts, Publishing, Television and Radio and in addition the cultural heritage, tourism and museum industries are identified as being closely related to the creative industries.1

The development of an agency or incubator…

The potential users of a Creative Industries agency will be emerging entrepreneurs, young startup companies, graduates from art and design schools, enterprise training organisations and specialised business advisors within the development of the creative industries.
The lack of creative industry specialist knowledge is a drawback as employees/start-up
entrepreneurs need access to specific advice and information about supply chains, networks and processes that are not common to other sectors. Although they have the talent and creativity to produce innovative products, the ‘creatives’ do not have the basic business gumption2, know-how or confidence that would convince a potential investor that they warrant the time and expense required of the due diligence process.

This development would address the following business development priorities:3

“to improve the skills and competences of people…”
A CI agency directly addresses this priority by developing very accessible and individual
guidance and business skills development and improving the quality of the professional
entrepreneurship by using and creating an environment that simulates the ethos and business support strategies that are found in business incubators. It also will facilitate positive attitudes
towards technological and organisational change that is required in today’s business world.

“to promote and reinforce the contribution of vocational training to the process of innovation …”
A CI agency directly addresses this priority by improving entrepreneurial endeavours and
promoting new media and innovation by ICT use, stimulating knowledge, assessment and
evaluation, increasing entrepreneurial spirit and business gumption by appropriate and suitable means.

“Developing relevant and innovative e-learning content”
A CI agency directly addresses this priority by stimulating individual knowledge and institutional knowledge by targeted knowledge transfer and providing a learning environment that balances generic business skills learning with the needs of the creative industry. This in turn will encourage the creative designers to see the relevance of ‘traditional’ business skills to the development of the company. The innovative aspects of a CI agency is an exciting engagement that encourages design conscious and design aware people to engage with training that at the same time supports the growth and development of the company.

“transfer of innovation”
This takes place through the agency and its relationship the business World. ‘Spin out’ as well as the ‘Spin in’ of businesses through the Innovative technology/knowledge/product transfer. It will also fast track sustainable business development through comprehensive business support and advice and guidance. Stimulated networking, an important aspect of the agency will also encourage participation. Knowledge transfer will take place by the natural clustering of like minded companies and people, by providing opportunities for synergy, collaboration and partnership and encouraging private enterprise.

The impact of the Creative Industries agency…

Short-term results of the project:

• possibility of offering specialised business training and support in the field of the creative industries for a large number of creative businesses in regions of post-industrial regeneration
• substantial new learning material and new technological approaches which will extend the
• current provision of generic business training to include the specific needs of ‘creative’ entrepreneurs
• creation of a new network of businesses and employees from the creative industries that will be involved with the development, assessment and dissemination of the methodologies
• incorporated into the agency

Long-term results of the project:

• development of professional business skills and tools for businesses and employees in the creative industries
• improvement of professional knowledge of the training needs of employees and entrepreneurs in the creative industries
• improvement of the development of post-industrial regeneration areas by the enhanced training of employees and entrepreneurs in start-up creative businesses and therefore
• meeting the already recognised potential growth of business within this sector
• reduction of unemployment in post-industrial regeneration regions because of the growth and development of the creative industries
• established network of virtual incubators (including the EU) with the cross-fertilisation of ideas and collaborative work
• involvement of women as new entrepreneurs

The way forward…
Defining what the way forward is for the agency. Is it to be an incubator, an agency or institution?
Is it culture or business or can you combine both?
Perhaps the way forward is to develop an agency that can support development. It would act as
an enabler and resource for information and support for networks, signposting creatives to other
agencies. The steps to achieve this could be:

• A scoping study/needs analysis of the embryonic creative industries in the Krasnoyarsk region.
• Liverpool Study Visit to see at first hand best practice in business incubation for the CIs. (Both virtual and actual examples of agencies operating on Merseyside)
• Seminar/conference to produce a strategy for the CIs – to continue the valuable work already achieved and to maintain the impetus of those involved
• Development of CI networks
• Development of resources including Virtual Agency
• Seeking financial support
• Refurbishment of a building to house a Creative Industries Incubator
• Promotion of Krasnoyarsk CI nationally and internationally

1 DTI definition
2 gump·tion n (informal)

• the courage to take what action is needed
• demonstrate initiative
• practical common sense and presence of mind

3 Leonardo Pilot Project – VirInCreate 2006