The Archipelago of Cultural and Creative Industries: A Case Study of the Basque Country

Xabier Barandiaran-Irastorza, Simón Peña-Fernández and Alfonso Unceta-Satrústegui
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Xabier Barandiaran-Irastorza: Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Deusto, 20012 San Sebastian, Spain
Simón Peña-Fernández: Faculty of Social and Communication Sciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Alfonso Unceta-Satrústegui: Faculty of Social and Communication Sciences, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena, 48940 Leioa, Spain

Economies, 2020, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: The cultural and creative industries (e.g., digital/audiovisual content, publishing and print media, etc.) constitute an emerging business sector focused on aligning cultural and creative production with profitability and market criteria that encompasses a diverse range of entities, generates employment, boosts GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and drives innovation. This paper analyses the impact of the cultural and creative industries on the economy of the Basque Country and provides information concerning the number of companies present in this sector, their legal structures, annual turnovers, size in terms of the number of people they employ and relative ability to secure public funding for entrepreneurial support and creative projects. Our findings indicate that businesses of this nature in the Basque Country form an ecosystem similar to an archipelago in which companies with a strong entrepreneurial focus, high annual turnovers and a national and international clientele coexist alongside smaller, less profit-oriented organisations devoted to regional cultural development.

Keywords: public policy; creativity; cultural activities; innovation; cultural and creative industries; regional development; Basque Country; A14; R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E F I J O Q (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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