Seven Steps to Mapping the Creative Industries

One of the main methods to measure the value of creative industries is mapping. It helps researchers, policymakers and managers to explore the financial worth, especially for little-known companies. The British Council published the toolkit to share their experience of mapping projects from around the world.

A successful project consists of seven main steps.

Step 1. Consider why you’re doing the mapping? It helps to understand the place of creative industries in the whole economic process. 

Step 2. The influence on different policy areas. The paper suggests three important areas: local economic development, cultural policy, and national industrial policy.

Step 3. Find the definition of creative industries. Mainly, the toolkit successfully deals with this. Definitions will help you to clarify the scope of work.

Step 4. Who does the work? This question means that not only cultural activists work on mapping but also the project needs to have financial support.

Step 5. Select the research approach. It will depend on the particular situation. In addition, the toolkit suggests six blocks to build the methodology.

Step 6. Create the main message to communicate with the audience and policy. The project will develop only with awareness, debates, and communication around it.

Step 7. How to keep the project going on? The toolkit advises to take a long-term view and keep collecting information so as not leave the project as a “one-off”.

More information http://creativeconomy.britishcouncil.org/media/uploads/files/English_mapping_the_creative_industries_a_toolkit_2-2.pdf

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