Promoting Local Sustainable Economic DevelopmentCROSS-BORDER COOPERATION
IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
Culture and Creativity as drivers for Local Sustainable Economic
Development
Pierluigi Montalbano, Francesco Palumbo, Pietro Antonio Valentino
Please cite this paper as:
Montalbano P., Palumbo F., Valentino P.A. (2014), “Culture and Creativity as drivers
for Local Sustainable Economic Development”, Project Wealth Local Sustainable
Economic Development Research Group Working Papers
Project Wealth Local Sustainable Economic Development Research Group Working Papers
Culture and Creativity
Research Paper
1 | Culture and Creativity as drivers for Local Sustainable Economic Development
Promoting Local Sustainable Economic Development
Culture and Creativity as drivers for Local Sustainable Economic
Development
Pierluigi Montalbano, Francesco PalumboPietro Antonio Valentino
Project Wealth Local Sustainable Economic Development
Research Group Working Papers
This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union under the ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of Project Wealth and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union or of the Programme’s management structures.
Copy-editing: Thom RofeEnglish - Arabic Translation: Nabil ArmalyGraphic Design: Ayelet Tikotzky
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Contents
Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. Cultural heritage and creativity as drivers for LSED: the conceptual framework 4
1.1. Intangible assets as drivers of growth in the economic theory . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2. Culture vs. creativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3. A naive model of cultural based LSED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2. Creative Apulia: Facts, figures and preliminary outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.1. Facts & Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.2. Preliminary outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3. Conclusions and Policy Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3 | Culture and Creativity as drivers for Local Sustainable Economic Development 2 | Culture and Creativity as drivers for Local Sustainable Economic Development
Promoting Local Sustainable Economic Development
Culture and Creativity as Drivers for Local Sustainable Economic Development1
Pierluigi Montalbano, Francesco Palumbo, Pietro Antonio Valentino2
Abstract
This paper addresses the timely issue of culture and creativity as key drivers for Local
Sustainable Economic Development (LSED). The added value of the paper is twofold:
firstly, it presents the conceptual framework and the key determinants for the start-up
of a cultural-based LSED; secondly, it introduces the new Creative Apulia strategy
presenting the overall strategy, the main initiatives and some preliminary results. A
preliminary set of policy recommendations are depicted in the conclusions.
Keywords: culture, creativity, local development
ملخص
تتطرق هذه الورقة إىل املسألة اململحة املتعلقة بالثقافة واإلبداع بصفتهام محفزين أساسيني للتطوير االقتصادي املحيل املستدام- ت.أ.م.م )Local Sustainable Economic Development- LSED(. القيمة املضافة التي تعرضها هذه الورقة هي قيمة مضاعفة: أوال، إنها تعرض اإلطار املفاهيمي واملحددات األساسية لنشوء ت.أ.م.م يعتمد عىل الثقافة؛ ثانيا، هي تعرض اسرتاتيجية أبويال اإلبداعية الجديدة، حيث تعرض االسرتاتيجية اإلجاملية، املبادرات األساسية وبعض النتائج األولية. فصل االستنتاجات يشمل مجموعة أولية من التوصيات املتعلقة بالسياسات املطلوبة يف هذا السياق.
كلامت أساسية: ثقافة، إبداع، تطوير محيل
תקצירהמוסף בר-קיימא. ערכו מקומי כלכלי לפיתוח מפתח כמנועי וביצירתיות בתרבות עוסק זה מאמר
כפול: ראשית, הוא מציג את המסגרת המושגית ואת הגורמים המכריעים המרכזיים הנחוצים להשקתו
של החדשה האסטרטגיה את מציג הוא שנית, תרבותית. מעוגן בר-קיימא מקומי כלכלי פיתוח של
Creative Apulia; המאמר מתאר את האסטרטגיה הכללית, את יוזמותיה העיקריות וכמה מהתוצאות לקידום מדיניות המלצות של ראשונית סדרה גם כולל בעקבותיה. הסיכום שהתפתחו הראשוניות
פיתוח כלכלי מקומי מעוגן יצירתיות ותרבות.
מילות מפתח: תרבות, יצירתיות, פיתוח מקומי
1 Some parts of this working paper were presented in Project Wealth Local Sustainable Economic Development Research Group (WealthR). The group is coordinated by Dr. Itzhak (Kiki) Aharonovich , Mandel Center for Leadership in the Negev, and Asaf Raz, Shatil.
2 Sapienza University of Rome and Apulia Region (Italy). Corresponding author: [email protected]
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1. Cultural heritage and creativity as drivers for LSED: the conceptual framework
1.1. Intangible assets as drivers of growth in the economic theory
Notwithstanding the role of knowledge as a key driver for economic growth has been
emphasized by the economic theory since the seminal work of Arrow (1962)1 it is
only in the last decades that the economic literature increasingly highlights the role
of intangible factors as key drivers of growth and development (Barro, et al, 1995).
Similarly, it is only since the seminal work of Krugman (1991), that the spatial analysis
of geography has been placed at the heart of the analysis of modern endogenous
economic growth.
The novelty of the current endogenous approach to economic growth lies in its focus on
endogenous resources (not only physical capital but also intangible assets) as well as
on endogenous process (Cozzi 1998; Scandizzo, 1997). More specifically, endogenous
growth fosters additional externalities linked to the intangible assets (such as learning,
networking, personal and social capabilities, etc.) that impact positively the productivity
of factors. Since the accumulation process of culture (in all its meanings: objectified,
institutionalized and embodied, Thorsby 1999) has the peculiar characteristics to
depend from consumption, cultural production actually becomes a key self-sustaining
process of consumption/accumulation of human capital that, among other things,
fosters Local Sustainable Economic Development (LSED).
Moreover, from the 1990s, following on the New Labour government’s Creative Industries
Mapping Documents in Britain, a third wave of literature on local development2 put
the notion of creativity (something at the crossover between human capital, physical
capital and innovation) at the center of the debate. It has been seen as the occasion to
revamping the notion of the economics of territories and promotes new development
strategies able to overcome the crisis of the mercantilist approach (Valentino, 2013).
Information societies, knowledge economies, smart cities have become then the key
factors for a breakthrough of the spatial organization of towns, social relations and
even political participation (Castells, 1996).
1 He actually extended the notion of marshallian externalities (Marshall, 1920).2 Initially essentially policy papers but nowadays this notion is keeping ground also from an academic point of view.
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1.2. Culture vs. creativity
Culture and creativity are not synonymous. While culture is generally understood as
the set of knowledge, customs and levels of artistic and scientific development that
defines an era or social group (EECS 102/2004)3, the term creativity is specifically
interpreted as the capacity to think in an innovative way, or to produce new ideas that
bring together existing elements in a new way (be they processes, objects, knowledge,
etc.). This, in turn, should not be confused with the term innovation which refers more
generally to processes and products developed from knowledge, techniques and
tools. This is a crucial distinction because, first, it isolates separate concepts that are
often blurred in current language; second, it highlights in the right manner the deep
interconnections between cultures, creativity and innovation (see also the Council
conclusions on the contribution of culture to local and regional development of 29 April
2010): innovation serves to put into practice the ideas of creative people, and culture
constitutes the fertile ground in which creativity is cultivated. This paves the way for a
spatial analysis of creativity, based on the culture of the regions and the role of applied
scientific research (R&D), which provides technical back-up to creative abilities. Third,
the lack of a clear distinction makes it difficult to pinpoint a single analysis approach: at
one extreme there are those who would limit creativity to cultural activities alone; at the
other extreme are those who think that all industries are intrinsically creative4. Thus,
the process of identifying the so-called creative sectors risks being somewhat arbitrary,
and this could have a knock-on effect on the effectiveness of the creative strategies
and economic policies. As a matter of fact, while the European Commission (cf. the
Green Paper of 27 April 2010) stresses culture’s role as an input into the creative
industries5, UNCTAD highlights the role that creativity also plays beyond the cultural
sphere (i.e. in industries considered creative in the narrow sense, such as fashion
and software)6. Thus, the Commission’s definition encompasses within the cultural
and creative sector all cultural sectors, both non-industrial (the visual arts, the art
market, the performing arts and cultural heritage) and industrial (the so-called cultural
industries: film and video, videogames, radio and television, music, publishing, etc.),
as well as creative sectors in a narrow sense (design, architecture, advertising) that
do not produce culture but use it as an input. UNCTAD, however, groups all activities
that produce creative content under the label of creative industries, thus viewing the
cultural industries as a subset of the creative industries, which specifically comprise:
3 Cf. EESC opinion on Europe’s Creative Industries (OJ C 108, 30.4.2004).
4 This is clearly reflected in a conception of industry based on Schumpter’s idea of creative destruction.5 See also the studies drawn up by KEA European Affairs (http://www.keanet.eu/) in 2006 (The Economy of
Culture in Europe) and 2009 (The Impact of Culture on Creativity).6 Creative Economy Report (UNCTAD, 2008).
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cultural heritage (traditional cultural expressions and cultural sites); arts (visual arts
and the performing arts); media (publishing and audiovisuals); and functional creations
(design, new media, creative services)7. See table 1 for glancing at the heterogeneity
of industries classification according to different approaches.
As emphasized by the EECS’ Opinion 503/2010 there is indeed no single, agreed
definition of “cultural and creative industry”, although this is a key requirement for:
i. fostering recognition of its specific features, first of all its degree of publicness
and all the strategic implications ;
ii. analyzing their impact on long-term growth, international competitiveness,
regional development and territorial cohesion;
iii. Encouraging the adoption of sectoral policies, i.e, taking into account the
cultural specificities of the sector.
A prudent behavior linked to the lack of a specific definition of creative industries is
to proximate it to cultural industry, which is undeniably characterized by a stronger
background as a potential resource for development (e.g., there is even a branch of
economics called cultural economics). It stands to reason that using such prudent
behavior we adhere to the “conservative wing” of the literature and so we are
presenting “prudent estimates” of the phenomena under analysis since, on the basis of
other interpretations, creative industries can be seen as a bigger cluster than cultural
industries.
7 Idem
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Table 1 - Classification systems for the creative industries derived from different models
UK DCMS model Symbolic texts model
Concentric circles model
WIPO copyright model
Advertising
Architecture
Art and antiques
market
Crafts
Design
Fashion
Film and video
Music
Performing arts
Publishing
Software
Television and
radio
Video and
computer games
Core cultural
industries
Core creative arts Core copyright
industries
Advertising
Film
Internet
Music
Publishing
Television and radio
Video and computer
games
Literature
Music
Performing arts
Visual arts
Advertising
Collecting societies
Film and video
Music
Performing arts
Publishing
Software
Television and radio
Visual and graphic art
Other core cultural
industries
Film
Museums and
libraries
Peripheral cultural
industries
Wider cultural
industries
Creative arts Heritage services
Publishing
Sound recording
Television and radio
Video and computer
games
Borderline cultural
industries
Interdependent
copyright industries
Consumer
electronics
Fashion
Software
Sport
Blank recording material
Consumer electronics
Musical instruments
Paper
Photocopiers,
photographic equipment
Related industries
Advertising
Architecture
Design
FashionPartial copyright
industries
Architecture
Clothing, footwear
Design
Fashion
Household goods
Toys
Source: UNCTAD, creativity report, 2008
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1.3. A naive model of cultural based LSED
The simplest theoretical model of culture and development can be simplified as follows:
1) cultural resources attract visitors (i.e., external demand);
2) visitors generate an expenditure;
3) this expenditure is transformed into revenue and capital for local development;
5) this additional revenue is partly transformed into income and new demand
for the local production sectors (multiplying effect) and, partly, in new imports
and so on.
This naive model can be considered as a typical “export-led model” since it needs
the production and sale of services destined not only to internal demand but also to
the demand located outside the area (external or “foreign” demand)8. It is thanks to
technological innovation and creativity, which can multiply the technical “reproducibility”
of cultural services, that it is actually possible to sell outside an increasing amount of
services associated to the same resources, fostering a sustainable long-term process
of growth. The net impact on the local economy is then associated with the net value of
exportable services, that is, the difference between the value of services sold externally
and the costs of goods and services the area has to import in order to produce them.
From this very simple model it is easy to derive two basic policy recommendations:
i) the mere possession of cultural resources is not in itself enough to start a process
of cultural based economic growth; ii) creativity, innovation and technology are key to
promote long-term growth. This for a number or reasons:
a) Cultural based LSED does not produce any relevant effect if an area is poor
in terms of services. LSED requires, therefore, a cultural and creative industry
(i.e., a cultural and creativity production chain) that develops new services
(economic valorization, promotion, information, even in connected sectors
such as that of the entertainment industry) able to satisfy the needs of the
external demand;
b) The cultural based LSED rate of growth (as the economic growth in general,
see Solow, 1956) depends crucially on innovation (mainly technological
innovation) and creativity. Evidently, if the service provided by the Public
Administration or by the companies taking part in the cultural chain is
8 External or “foreign” demand consists mainly of non-resident individuals (tourists and travelers) who use the culturalservices as “services to the person. We are here implicitly assuming a static local economy with no extra saving. In anycase, in a dynamic model the increase of internal demand is constrained by income growth.
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inefficient, costs will increase and the quality will decrease and/or the prices
of the products created by the process of enhancement of the cultural
resources will rise. An even more limiting factor could be represented by the
lack of the necessary human capital/skills that play a strategic role in the
cultural sector. For this reason, a qualified training process is key to enhance
the competitiveness of cultural industry.
c) The cultural based LSED requires a “critical mass” of demand, large enough
to ensure the achievement of the total sales necessary to cover the start-
up production. The “critical mass” of demand is easier to achieve when
the cultural resources are located in an urban area or in one adjacent to a
metropolitan area. In the rural areas, referring to a system of small towns
could replace the “city effect” on the demand side and make it possible to
reach scale economies for some of the activities included in the process of the
cultural resources’ enhancement resources. The transformation of a number
of small towns into a system that really performs the role of ‘widespread
city’ is possible by planning top down the territorial development and making
reference to territorial areas that cross over the administrative borders and
bottom up through the integration of the services and tools proper to territory
management.
d) The cultural based LSED should be driven by specialization and comparative
advantages (Montalbano and Triulzi, 2012). As recognized by the EU 2020
strategy, the cultural and creative industries can play a central role for
growth, competitiveness and the future of the EU citizens (EECS’ Opinion
503/2010). This for a number of reasons: First, by their very nature, they
create innovation and jobs, act as an interface between various branches
of industry and are factors for local development and drivers of industrial
change. Second, they are generators of “intangible comparative advantages”
that cannot be reproduced elsewhere. Actually, even if local cultural heritage
can be considered as distinctive, and, therefore, potentially capable of
generating a differentiated income, this does not mean it is protected from
competing phenomena. The overall economic impact of cultural industry is
justified by the actual level of interdependence of the area under analysis
and, therefore, by the total amount of its imports. The higher the level of
dependence of the area from outside, (in terms of supply of both the inputs
requested from the enhancement process and from the other goods and
services directly consumed by the users) the lower will be the multiplier of
internal income. Please recall this is by any means a quest for protectionism
because openness remains key for the attractiveness of external demand
which is the starting point of the entire growth process.
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All that considered, an additional set of policy recommendations can be also driven:
during the startup phase, it is necessary to start up activities which use a greater
amount of local input (goods, services and human capital) and, to an increasing extent,
replace the imported products consumed by the final user (i.e., the visitors in our case)
with the local ones: the imported industrial products with the typical agricultural and
artisan products and so on. Once the area is capable of attracting a certain level of
demand (critical mass), the users of cultural resources can start a system of revenue,
at the local level, that can be summarized as follows:
a) the expenditure allocated to the purchase of locally produced goods and
services is transformed partly into revenue (wages, profits and unearned
income), with respect to individuals who partake in the production process;
partly in an additional demand for other production sectors located in the
same area, and, partly, in additional imports;
b) The demand, deriving from the additional revenue and from the new local
production is, in turn, partly transformed into income and new demand for the
local production sectors (multiplying effect) and, partly, in new imports and so
on, up to the point where the initial impetus is exhausted.
In conclusion, the development model based on the enhancement of cultural resources
must be sustained both by internal and external demand and this, in turn, crucially
depends on the availability of new services fostered by innovation and creativity. Local
demand plays a strategic role in the determination of the critical mass necessary for
the startup of the entire process, but the external demand (e.g., tourism) represents the
real “engine” for development. Such an income system can be graphically represented
in Fig. 1.
As a result, while the economic impact associated with tourism (the segment of
external demand with the greatest expenditure capacity) is commonly considered the
most significant one, it is the entire cultural chain who contributes to the growth of
income levels and to that of local employment. In other words, we need to create and
develop an integrated economic area which, however, must not be merely destined
to the creation of cultural products. We need to sustain an industry that embraces
all the sectors and that is capable of starting up the entire production machine and
the resources available in the area. This can be achieved by using, especially for
the development of new initiatives, all the “capital resources” locally available. In
this context also infrastructural resources will possibly be used in a new way, and
the real estate properties of the area will find new enhancement opportunities. Apart
from our naive model, it is worth stressing the irreplaceable role of cultural industry in
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promoting “local identity”, in supporting pluralism and cultural diversity, in contributing
to a better quality of life, to tolerance and to countering behavior contrary to human
dignity, to integration and to visitor capacity and, generally speaking, to individual and
collective capabilities and all the multidimensional facets that collectively constitute the
sustainable livelihoods of local communities (Sen, 1988).
Figure 1 –The local development model founded on the cultural resources enhancement
External Demand
INTEGRATED ENHANCEMENT PROCESS
Cultural and Environmental
Internal Demand
Tourism demand
Virtual demand (ICT applications)
Imports for the enhancement process
Local demand
local production:cultural and
evirnmental services
IMPORTS
DEMAND SUPPLY
local production:toursm services
local production:input for tourism and cultural/evirnmental
services
2. Creative Apulia: Facts, figures and preliminary outcomes
Consistently with the creative Europe framework, as synthesized in the Green Paper
and pilot actions, since 2005 Apulia regional policy has been clearly focused on the
creation of a “regional space of creativity”. It means: first, the implementation of a
network of physical spaces of creativity; second, the development of creative SMEs;
third, the support of creative value chains, such as live entertainment, audiovisual and
visual arts, also for tourism aims; fourth, the promotion of agglomeration economies
and regional clusters for creativity.
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2.1. Facts & Figures
Consistently with the above LSED conceptual framework, we can look at the various
empirical initiatives of the overall Apulia strategy as key determinants of the Apulian
cultural based model for LSED.
Box 1- Facts and figures: In the period 2007-2013, € 90 mln of public investments;
168 cities involved; 18 ECS created (covering almost the entire Apulian territory);
421 start-up enterprises; 159 old buildings revamped (to be used as “new public
spaces” for the young); 12 theatres re-opened and 185 operators involved.
First, the enhancement of new cultural services. Thanks to the financial support of
structural funds and the partnership with local communities, Apulia region has recently
launched the “Environmental and Cultural Systems” (ECS). ESC promote the adoption
of new integrated cultural services with the aim to enhance attractiveness, cultural
demand and tourism; drive innovations and investments in new technologies (e.g.,
Fab Lab for digital fabrication); support creative entrepreneurship. Furthermore, a new
generation of services - at the cross over of culture and creativity - has been also
launched. They are aimed specifically at transforming cultural heritage in a network
of physical spaces of creativity (e.g., “Urban Laboratories”; “Inhabited Theatres”; “Intramoenia Extra Art” and “Contemporary Circuit”, i.e. forms of cooperation between
local communities and private operators in planning contemporary visual arts exhibitions
throughout the regional territory). Last but not least, co-financing of the most innovative
start-up has been provided (e.g., Active principles initiative).
Second, the attraction of a critical mass of external demand. A significant component
of the overall strategy has been devoted to the financial and technical support of a
number of local cultural activities and initiatives (e.g., Puglia Events, a single gateway
to all the cultural and touristic events hosted by Apulia Region; the BIFEST9- Bari
International Film & TV Festival, etc.).
Box 2 - BIFEST. Some figures: The 2011 edition actually doubled the funding of €
1,3 mln generating an overall income of € 2,6 mln.
Third, the exploitation of the local comparative advantage by investing in the entire
value chains of live entertainment, cinema, audio-visuals and visual arts, trough the
activities of tailored made project and agencies, namely Puglia Sounds and Apulia Film Commission (AFC). Puglia Sounds is a project of the Teatro Pubblico Pugliese
9 See the study “IL BIF&ST‐Bari International Film&Tv Festival‐2011” Agenzia Regionale per la Tecnologia e l’Innovazione.
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(TPP), the Apulia regional Agency for theatre, music and dance, aimed specifically at
supporting the local musical value chain and promote it overseas.
Box 3 - Puglia Sounds. Some figures: 500 events; 47 summer festivals; 70
concerts; 600.000 spectators; 53 recording productions; 11 countries.
Box 4 -MEDIMEX. Some figures: In the last edition more than 10,000 visitors and
an overall economic impact of € 2,6 mln, without considering the long-term impacts.
Puglia Sounds promotes also the MEDIMEX10 (Mediterranean Music Expo), the only
Italian international music fair with showcases and concerts, meetings, innovation and
technology.
AFC11 is a regional foundation aimed at supporting the audiovisual production in
Puglia and developing the potential of tourism related to the audiovisual sector (e.g.,
it developed the following initiatives: CINEPORTI, i.e., the creation of two public poles
dedicated to cinema companies, in Bari and Lecce and the CIRCUITO D’AUTORE,
i.e., a supporting strategy of cult movies throughout the regional territory).
Box 5 - AFC. Some figures: in 2013 AFC sustained more than 50 film projects (over
170 since 2007, when the Film Commission was founded) generating local impacts
above € 9 mln. In the period 2007-2010 the ratio between regional/public fund
allocation and direct expenditure was 1:6, i.e., each euro provided through public
funding has been multiplied by 6 in terms of production companies’ expenditure in
the local area
The joint actions of the two regional agencies (TPP and AFC) contributed to the
development of agglomeration economies and regional clusters aimed at promoting
a critical mass of investments in new technologies, talents and abilities. The aim is
to contrast the penetration of big players as well as the adoption of external values
inconsistent with European and national identities. The natural corollary of the above
initiatives is the recent launch of the cluster “Creative Apulia”, i.e., a cluster of 90
enterprises aimed at supporting the creativity chain; the implementation of business and
financial investments in the field; common strategies across companies in interrelated
fields of activities.
10 See the study “Monitoraggio Puglia Sounds” - Istituto Media e Giornalismo dell’ Universitא della Svizzera Italiana di Lugano.
11 See the study “Financial support for the audiovisual industry in Apulia: An analysis of the impact of the Apulia FilmFund” – IEM Fondazione Rosselli
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2.2. Preliminary outcomes
The “Creative Apulia” strategy is very recent and its actual implementation is currently
in place. After two cycles of structural funds’ programs we can however start drawing a
first balance sheet. To this end, we present here below some key figures on the culture
and creativity sector in the Apulia Region.
First, in last three years about 55.5 million Euros of additional financial resources
have been invested in Apulia in the sectors of cultural heritage, cultural activities and
creativity (about €12 per head, see Fig. 2). This sum up to the 471,3 millions of euro
spent in the decade 2000-2011 to finance up to 655 new investment projects.
Figure2 - Investments to Apulia (millions euros) in years 2011-13
Second, the strong improvement of the cultural supply. Apulia has got 139 cultural
sites (included 13 state museums and 3 UNESCO sites: Castel del Monte, Alberobello,
Monte S. Angelo) and 594 libraries (1,5 per head). Moreover, Apulia is the best
performer among Southern Italian Regions in terms of theaters (834; 20 per thousand
residents) and music halls (944; 23 per thousand residents) and hosted in 2011 around
8.000 live performances (20% in terms of national data) with over 1,5 millions of tickets
sold. Actually, Apulia hosted in 2011 the 15% of overall number of national visitors
(becoming the second largest Italian Region in terms of attractiveness, after Campania
where the most popular Unesco sites are located, e.g. Pompei). Generally speaking,
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Apulia is the best performer in terms of tourism attraction among the Mediterranean
Regions (+45% in the period 2000-2010; + 74% in the Southern area of Salento).
Third, the performance in terms of attractiveness of ICCs. Apulia hosts about 4.800
cultural enterprises and about 8.000 cultural operators (around 4% of the national
data), mainly involved in architectural activities, performing arts, design, audiovisuals
and publishing and mainly concentrated in the area of Bari and Lecce (Lecce is 35° in
the Italian ranking of the European Creativity Index and is the first metropolitan area
among the Southern Italy main towns).
3. Conclusions and Policy Recommendations
This paper addresses the timely issue of the culture and creativity activities as drivers
for LSED. First, it presents the conceptual framework and highlights the key factors
behind a cultural based LSED. Then, it introduces the new Creative Apulia strategy
presenting the overall strategy, the main initiatives and some facts and figures. A
number of conclusions and policy recommendations have been driven:
i. The need of a better definition of the culture and creativity sector and a more
accurately statistics. As noted above there is no single, agreed definition
of “cultural and creative industry”, although this is a key requirement for:
fostering recognition of the specific features of CCIs; analyzing their impact
on long-term growth, international competitiveness, regional development
and territorial cohesion (Cf. EESC opinion on Europe’s Creative Industries,
OJ C 108, 30.4.2004).
ii. the acknowledgement that the mere possession of cultural resources is not
in itself enough to start a process of cultural based economic growth and that
creativity, innovation and technology are key drivers of long-term growth.
iii. the focus on four key determinants of a cultural based LSED: services,
innovation, critical mass of demand and comparative advantage. Consistently
with the naןve model presented, Apulia strategy, thanks to the strong financial
support of the structural funds and the partnership process with local
communities, represents undeniably a best practice in terms of LSED (as
emphasized by the EECS’ Opinion 503/2010).
iv. the need to look at the start-up phase as a peculiar stage characterized by a
greater amount of local input (goods, services and human capital) and, to an
16 | Culture and Creativity as drivers for Local Sustainable Economic Development
Promoting Local Sustainable Economic Development
increasing extent, the need to replace the imported products consumed by
the final user (i.e., the visitors in our case) with the local ones: the imported
industrial products with the typical agricultural and artisan products and so
on. Only once the area is capable of attracting a certain level of demand
(critical mass), the users of cultural resources can start a system of revenue,
at the local level.
v. the leading role of a cultural and creativity strategy - nested into the regional
priorities for enhancing the full potential of the spontaneous bottom up
processes coming from the local territories. More specifically, regional
strategy should:
a) Strengthening the relation between landscape, environment and cultural
assets overcoming the approach of individual attractors and promoting a
multidimensional but local approach able to enhance the links between
cultural heritage, cultural activities and local stakeholders;
b) Reverting the approach of the scarce added value of cultural and touristic
events. Such events are in fact key for the enhancement of cultural
heritage. The separation between historical assets and activities related
to contemporary arts generates an ethical vision of the assets, with
consequences both on their capability to contribute to innovation and
creativity processes, and on the management of museums, archives,
libraries and archaeological sites;
vi. the empirical evidence of the Apulia’s strategy success story lies on the
following stylized facts and figures: Apulia is the best Southern Italian region
in terms of theaters (834; 20 per thousand residents) and music halls (944;
23 per thousand residents). It hosted around 8.000 live performances in 2011
(20% in terms of national data) with over 1,5 millions of tickets sold. In 2011,
Apulia hosted the 15% of the overall number of national tourists (becoming
the second largest Italian Region in terms of attractiveness, after Campania
where the most popular Unesco sites are located, e.g. Pompei). Generally
speaking, Apulia is among the Mediterranean regions, the best performer
in terms of tourism attraction (+45% in the period 2000-2010; + 74% in the
Southern area of Salento).
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Promoting Local Sustainable Economic Development
4. References
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Cozzi, G. (1998). Distribuzione e Crescita. Una rassegna della letteratura recente. Rivista italiana degli economisti, 3(1), 105-150.
EESC’ Opinion 503/2010 on Unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries (Green Paper)
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About Project Wealth
Project WEALTH: Promoting Local Sustainable Economic Development (LSED), is implemented with the support of the European Union’s ENPI CBC-MED Program. By fostering an alternative economic paradigm whereby wealth is defined by the well-being of people and the planet, the project encourages new approaches of local and regional sustainable economic development. The project collaboration, lead by Shatil, includes partners from Israel, Italy, Portugal and the Palestinian Authority. It facilitates a range of knowledge exchange and networking platforms that enable the sharing of best practices, as well as the development of local initiatives.
Project Wealth Local Sustainable Economic Development Research Group (WealthR), is a collaboration of Project Wealth, The Negev Center for Regional Development and the Mandel Center for Leadership in the Negev that constitutes an academic platform for researchers from the partnering regions in Project Wealth. It facilitates the exchange of knowledge and development of theoretical and applicable knowledge base emerging from the Local Sustainable Economic Development paradigm. Research findings serve as the basis for position papers and policy change efforts at the national and Euro Med levels.
For more details and updates about Project Wealth:Project Wealth Website: www.lsed-wealth.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/kamambanegevContact: [email protected] Manager: Dr. Gili BaruchEmail: [email protected]: 0732-445445
Statement about the Programme The 2007-2013 ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme is a multilateral Cross-Border Cooperation initiative funded by the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI). The Programme objective is to promote the sustainable and harmonious cooperation process at the Mediterranean Basin level by dealing with the common challenges and enhancing its endogenous potential. It finances cooperation projects as a contribution to the economic, social, environmental and cultural development of the Mediterranean region. The following 14 countries participate in the Programme: Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Palestinian Authority, Portugal, Spain, Syria, Tunisia. The Joint Managing Authority (JMA) is the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Italy). Official Programme languages are Arabic, English and French