Design, fashion, food culture, tourism, music, film, media, the virtual sphere, festivals, theatre, literature…creative industries.

The Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Estonia has been organising seminars and conferences on the creative economy since the end of 2008. In spring 2009 we were behind the international conference held in Tallinn titled ‘The Creative Economy in the Nordic Countries and Baltic States’, which was designed to lead to the development of partnership networks within the creative economy.

We have showcased the many ways in which the creative economy manifests itself and promotes the success stories of the Nordic countries. Financially robust companies have shared their tips with Estonians on how to make the most of the nature of small cultural spaces.

What are creative industries?

The phrase creative industries (or sometimes creative economy) refers to a set of interlocking industry sectors, and are often cited as being a growing part of the global economy. The creative industries are often defined as those that focus on creating and exploiting intellectual property products, such as music, books, film and games, or providing business-to-business creative services such as advertising, public relations, and direct marketing. Aesthetic live performance experiences are also generally included, contributing to an overlap with definitions of art and culture, and sometimes extending to include aspects of tourism and sport.

Economic activities focused on designing, making and selling objects or works of art such as jewellery, haute couture, books of poetry, or other creative writing, or fine art also often featured in definitions of the sector because the value of such objects derives from a high degree of aesthetic originality. Creative industries is an economic sector which is based on individual and collective creativity, skills and talent, and is capable of generating welfare and jobs through the creation and consumption of intellectual property.

Estonian poet and culture critic Kalev Kesküla has argued that these products and services, which have their foundations in creativity, skills and talent, are at the same time definable as brands, building identities and differences.