However, the notion of cultural and creative industries belongs to a later period. The economist and art theorist Pierre Luigi Sacco links their appearance to the industrial revolution at the turn of the twentieth century. The technological innovations of that period–radio, sound recording, photography, film, and the perfecting of the printing technology–expanded the access to culture and influenced the creative process.

The theatre, visual arts, cinema, TV, radio, music, publishing business, computer games, new media, architecture, design, fashion and advertising are all part of the cultural and creative industries.

The terms “cultural industries” and “creative industries” are practically interchangeable. The concept of “cultural industries” is more related to cultural heritage and traditional forms of creation, while “creative industries” includes the applied arts practices, innovations and generating profit and creation of jobs by creating intellectual property.

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We are now seeing a transition to new forms of cultural and creative industries. The clear dividing line between producers and consumers of content is disappearing. The cultural and creative sectors are considered the forerunners of new dynamic forms of economic activity. As the society moves from being an industrial society to an intellectual one, the creative approach to solving tasks is becoming an important factor of competitiveness.