AOD to be a driving force in promoting creative industries

Bidding farewell to her post as at the Country Director British Council did not mark the end of Gill Westaway’s tenure here in Sri Lanka; keen to continue working here in the country through its post-war development, she enthusiastically took on the post as the Director of Creative Industries Development Programme Sri Lanka at the Academy of Design.

The importance of the creative industries which play a vital role in our day to day lives, from the clothes we wear to the media we are exposed to, is still downplayed in society today although its contribution towards the economy is great. Hoping to change this mindset and create awareness of these industries is a key function of Gill’s new post. Following are excerpts from the interview:

By Cassandra Mascarenhas

Q: What do you mean by the creative industries?

A: Basically the creative industries are those that have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and that have potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploration of intellectual property. The raw material is of course people – their minds, their skills and their imagination.

The seeds of economic value come from an individual’s inspiration and in turn the reputation they gain for their creative talent. The concept of intellectual property rights and the importance of protecting these rights if their economic worth is to be realised is central to the whole agenda.

To get a better idea of the scope of the creative industries, in the UK, for example, the creative industries definition includes advertising, architecture, art and antiques, crafts, design, fashion design, film and video, interactive leisure software, music, performing arts, publishing, software and computer services and television and radio.

Q: Have other countries focused on such an agenda?

A: Yes, certainly. A large number of countries have recognised the importance of the creative industries. Given my background with the British Council, I obviously know most about the UK in this context but many other countries including the US are also taking a keen interest in this agenda.

I think it is interesting to note that in the UK until the mid-1990s the creative sector was perceived as being of marginal importance to the country’s economic well-being. It was certainly not seen as a driver for job creation or growth. By the 1990s, however, things began to change. Crucially the impact of creativity in regeneration and social inclusion projects became more and more apparent. Creativity itself, of course, was not new, but the awareness of its economic power was.

Q: What impact have the creative industries had on the national economy of countries that have focused their energies on this area?

A: UNCTAD’s Creative Economy Report of 2008 estimated that world trade in creative goods and services grew at an annual rate of 8.7% between 2000 and 2005 and commented that this positive trend occurred in all regions and groups of countries. So clearly a lot of governments have understood the power of the creative economy. In this time of global recession this is particularly significant.

To illustrate this power, in the UK between 1997 to 2003 employment grew by 3% a year compared to 1% for the whole economy. Significantly and rather surprisingly, in July 2003 the Financial Times reported that creative industries were now more important to London’s economy than financial services! This trend has continued to the present day. Certainly in the UK and the US, the industry’s investment in ‘intangibles’ (human resources, databases, processes and technology) now exceeds investment in physical assets such as buildings and machinery, and the gap between the two is growing steadily wider. But perhaps just as important is the fact that creativity drives innovation and innovation drives change.

One of the most distinctive features of the creative industries is that they are more innovation intensive than other parts of the economy. But I believe it is also important to focus attention on how the creative industries impact our lives as consumers and citizens. As economies grow and societies urbanise, more people become consumers in the mainstream economy. It is increasingly the case that we all consume creative products every day of our lives through education, work, leisure and entertainment.

Q: What does all this mean for Sri Lanka?

A: For Sri Lanka, in this important post conflict period, a focus on the creative industries represents a way to make a real impact on the national economy. One of the most immediate wins is to concentrate on moving the whole apparel industry up the value chain to make Sri Lanka a country that is recognised as being centrally involved in the design, not simply the manufacture of clothes.

AOD is of course ideally placed to help with this transition process and has already trained many young fashion designers who are now making an active contribution to the country’s fashion industry. There are lots of other design areas beyond just fashion where Sri Lankans have creative talent - interior design and architecture, graphic design, jewellery design to name a few. Again AOD is training young people in all these disciplines.

Looking beyond design there are still further areas that are worthy of attention. This year’s Design Festival is focusing on Sri Lankan crafts and through a special Craft Village very much supported by the Export Development Board (EDB), will showcase the wealth of different craft products being made all around the island.

There are lots of other areas yet to be explored where Sri Lanka’s creative talent can be nurtured and harnessed to strengthen the national economy, and to drive innovation and change. One of the important factors in ensuring the success of this initiative is building strong links between the Government and the creative sector and the significant partnership that AOD has built with the EDB is crucial in this context.

Q: In your new role what are your plans for the coming months?

A: Since my arrival in Sri Lanka in September 2006 I have always been a strong supporter of the idea of promoting the creative industries in Sri Lanka and see great potential in developing a national agenda in this arena.

From within the British Council I spearheaded work in creating an awareness of the power of the creative industries through the introduction of the International Young Fashion Designer of the Year Award. With the many creative industries development initiatives which will now directly come under my purview with this new appointment as Director Creative Industries Programme (CIDP) Sri Lanka, I hope to develop this agenda more formally.

The CIDP project is an umbrella project with the overall aim and vision of developing the creative industries of Sri Lanka. Some of the main current initiatives under this programme include the Sri Lanka Design Festival, the Craft Development Project implemented in association with the Export Development Board and potentially partnering with the World Bank, partnerships with the British Council with its Creative Entrepreneur Awards and Sri Lanka’s first Green Fashion Award in collaboration with Exhibil in the UK and MAS holdings in Sri Lanka. I very much hope to strengthen these current programmes and expand and introduce many new initiatives over the coming years.

Pic by Upul Abeyasekara