Vice Head of MCST’s Department of International Relations Nguyen Van Nhan said there should be cooperation between ministries to develop policies encouraging the development of the creative industries sector.
Creative industries are defined as cultural industries by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and as copyright industries by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
They involve industries originating in individual creativity, skills and talents that can create wealth and jobs through the generation and harnessing of intellectual properties.
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WHAT IS “CREATIVE ECONOMY?”
■ Creative industries refer to a set of interlocking industry sectors, which include advertising, architecture, arts and antique markets, crafts, design, designer fashion, film, video and photography, music and the visual and performing arts, publishing, software and computer services and television and radio.
■ The industries accounted for seven percent of the world’s GDP (World Bank 2003) and is forecast to grow on average by 10 percent yearly (PricewaterhouseCoopers 2003). |
More than 100 officials from various departments and experts and entrepreneurs in creative industries in Vietnam participated in a seminar on “Nurturing the Creative Economy,” held by HCMC Department of Science and Technology and the Vietnam British Council.
At the seminar, Nhan said domestic creative industries have developed spontaneously, but have not been supported properly.
“It is a relatively new concept,” he said.
“With sufficient attention from relevant authorities, the creative economy will play an important role in fostering economic development to help raise GDP and create jobs.”
Nhan also stated there has been low investment in cultural industries as these only accounted for 0.3 percent of the GDP last year.
“We should consider creative industries to be intellectual industries and raise the awareness of such industries among local enterprises,” he said.
Vice Director of HCMC Department of Science and Technology, Truong Thuy Trang, said a project already exists to support enterprises with intellectual property issues.
Project No. 69, launched in 2005 by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam, has helped to raise awareness about protecting intellectual properties and improving the competitiveness of local enterprises in international markets.
However, Nguyen The Thanh, vice director of HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said improper valuation of intellectual creativity has discouraged the development of creative industries in the local market.
“Most local entrepreneurs in creative industries have operated separately on a small-scale,” said Le Quoc Vinh, director of the local Le Media Corporation.
“The presence of unhealthy competition also weakens the sector.”
Experts’ advice
At the seminar, a senior expert in creative economy from the British Council, Andrew Senior, shared experiences about creative industries in the UK, which has been the fastest growing sector in the country.
“Across the UK, creative economy is seen as an economic development priority and an effort to promote the nation as the world’s creative hub,” Senior said.
“After financial services, creative industries make up the second largest sector in London’s economy. In the UK, it accounts for 7.3 percent of gross-value-added (GVA) with 120,000 businesses in the field offering 1.9 million jobs.”
Senior said among the strengths of the creative economy was its link to the tourism sector.
Vietnam, with its bountiful cultural trades and historical sites could leverage this advantage to nurture creative industries.
Yudhi Soerjoatmodjo, the British Council’s Southeast Asia project manager on learning and creativity, also shared experiences of developing creative economy in Indonesia.
“To sustain creative economy development, different cities in Indonesia have promoted local industries based on their distinctive strengths,” he said.
“For example, Bali Province is less urbanized but strong in traditional arts and crafts, while Bandung City is more urbanized, with a predilection toward design, fashion, music, architecture and fine arts.”
Soerjoatmodjo said creative industries contributed US$11.3 billion to the country’s economy and created 5.4 million jobs in the 2002-2006 period.
Reported by Minh Hung |
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