The disappearing arts: creativity and innovation after the creative industries

Abstract

Since the birth of the 'creative industries' a decade ago, there has been a series of attempts to link the cultural sectors with innovation policy and to downplay the connection between them and traditional arts or cultural policy. The theory appears to be that innovation is where the big money is, and that the cultural sectors can only benefit by being rescued from the 'ghetto' of arts funding. This paper seeks to query this notion and to draw attention to some of the problems that have resulted and may result from it.

The autonomous world reversed: comparing liberal policy and autonomy in the performing arts

“…Once art and culture become a mean for, in this case economic development, politicians may realize that there are other parts of the creative sector that may contribute to creativity and growth. 4 Several scholars have therefore questioned whether the arts are in danger of disappearing politically in the creative turn (Garnham 2005, Lee 2016, Oakley 2009). …”

“…However, investments in the creative industries are all about supporting market success (Lee 2016, Oakley 2009). As argued by Hesmondhalgh and Pratt (2005:3), "The cultural industries were 'the other' against which cultural policy reacted".…”

Kulttuuripolitiikka ja nationalismi kilpailuvaltio-Suomessa: innovatiivinen luova talous

“…(vrt. Throsby 2010;Oakley 2009. ) "Suomen kansallinen selviytyminen" ja menestys taloudellisen globalisaation olosuhteissa on nähty riippuvaiseksi taloudellisen kilpailukyvyn kohentamisesta ja valtion taloudellisen maaperän sekä toimintaympäristön houkuttelevuudesta.…”

The national trust for talent? NESTA and New Labour’s cultural policy

“…NESTA s embrace of innovation as its sole purpose particularly large scale innovation, was a decision that the organisation itself took, though it was certainly one that fitted with the temper of the times (Oakley, 2009a) and through which it found a community of academics and policymakers enthused by the same vision of creative destruction (Cunningham, 2013 It could however be argued that its voice on innovation is something of an uncritical one.…”

“…Wells argues that for think tanks to succeed they need to fulfil a requirement for policy entrepreneurship at specific junctures that offer policy windows )n NESTA s case the increased emphasis on innovation in the second New Labour term was just such a moment, as innovation became an unquestionable policy goal and a variety of activities, if they were to merit government approval, sought to rebrand themselves as innovative (Oakley, 2009a(Oakley, , 2012. In cultural policy, innovation replaced even creativity as what Schlesinger calls a generalised value unquestioned and unexamined NESTA s own brief history describes how this new departure into policy influence involved becoming a hub for the innovation community running seminars lectures and networking events, commission research from third parties, all with a strong emphasis on establishing its global credentials (NESTA, 2012).…”