Abstract
The discourse on creativity has become popular in Europe since the beginning of the current millennium leading European commercial and institutional bodies to focus on cultural and creative industries (CCIs) and to push a progressive “institutionalization” of the sector. Enterprises tied to the CCIs have ever since started to become more relevant as an economic and competitive factor for the strategic development of cities and regions.
Giving this background, the paper positions itself within the academic effort to critically analyze the innovation potential or - components of the Creative Industries Strategy in the region of South Tyrol (Italy). Using the novel experience and empirical data collected from the project “Creative Industries Strategy South Tyrol”*, the paper aims to examine the following two aspects. Firstly, it looks at the tradition of mapping exercises within the CI discipline by reviewing relevant literature**. Secondly, it outlines models used to assess and promote the creative sector´s impact on and development within the territory. The paper seeks to answer the following research question: how innovation interrelates with the strategic development of the Creative Industries at regional level. The starting point of the discussion is the assumption that regardless of the level on which innovation is studied - be it on the economical, organizational, group or individual level - it never exists without its single most important determinant at the individual level, which is creativity (Hys, 2010 in Szczepańska-Woszczyna, K. and M. Nadeem 2016:26).
Methodologically, the paper seeks to answer the research question by analyzing the empirical data collected from a series of roundtables carried out during the summer 2018 and from preliminary results of the online survey conducted at regional level in spring 2019. The results will shed lights on: the innovative elements characterizing the creation of the Creative Industry Strategy, the process used to identify and reach out for the main actors of the local Creative Industries (CI) in South Tyrol; the participative approach designed and implemented to prepare for a strategic plan of the CI´s future development at regional level, and eventually the CI spillover effects in the region. A special focus is put on the concepts of knowledge-transfer, cross-sectorial synergies, cross-fertilization among CI ambits and possibilities of networking and community-building that facilitate the creation and promotion of CI within and beyond the regional border.
*The project, commissioned by IDM Creative Industries Ecosystem of Bolzano bases on the collaboration with Eurac Research Institute of Regional Development and the partial support and assistance of the Free University of Bolzano and the Department of Innovation, Research and Development of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano.
**see DCMS’ Creative Industries Mapping Documents, 2011; EC´s Green Paper on CCIs; Annual Report of Federculture (Italy); Walter Santaga´s White Paper on Creativity, 2009; Creative Italy: Study on the industry of culture and creativity in Italy, EY, 2014 and 2016; I am culture, Symbola, 2017 and 2018; ERVET, Cultura e creatività: ricchezza per l’Emilia Romagna, 2012 and ERVET, Economia Arancione in Emilia-Romagna, 2018