The ERICarts Institute is investigating the development of a diversified and dynamic “creative sector” based on partnerships between creators, private sector investors, public arts institutions, NGOs and policy makers. Sometimes they form “creative clusters” which increasingly reach beyond national borders.
For the purposes of its studies, the ERICarts Institute defines the “culture industries” as all private businesses and independent contractors operating in the different fields of the culture and media sectors. In this definition, self-employed artists and independent media professionals are just as much a part of the culture industries as are small, medium-sized and large companies. This approach contrasts with the concept of the “creative industries” which does not go far enough to distinguish between the roles and responsibilities of public and private actors in the cultural sphere.
This definition of the “culture industries” does not advocate a laissez-faire market approach to culture but calls on all public and private actors to support the development of the culture industries in ways which encourage artistic creativity and build (or in some cases re-build) a sustainable and diversified European cultural space of people, ideas and innovations.
Studies produced by the ERICarts Institute have investigated different kinds of public policy instruments and measures to support both the “supply” and “demand” side of the cultural value chain including direct production subsidies to film production companies, public purchases of works of art or granting low interest or risk capital for SME’s working in the culture industries. Such measures are important to make up for “market deficits” and are especially important in those European countries which have very small markets and/or a high concentration of foreign companies and products saturating local markets.
“Voices from the field” are collected to understand the interaction between the real life working practices of artists or media professionals and the experiences they have operating within the marketplace as well as within the legal and economic environments which regulate their work or facilitate their mobility.
