DEVELOPMENT AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCEPT OF CULTURE AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES IN LATVIA

Abstract

The issues of creative industries are relatively new and topical both in the world and in Latvia because the key issues connected with creative industries have been included in policy planning documents at various levels since 2005. Research on creative industries has been carried out, and funding models for creative industries have been sought, etc. We have to take into account the adaptable and evolving nature of the sector of creative industries because one universal model does not exist for creative industries. The recent emergence of the key issues of the sector on the Latvian political agenda and the evolving nature of creative industries have increased differences in understanding of the various parties involved in this sector. Since the arrival of the concept of creative industries in Latvia, a shift of emphasis has taken place because the initial reports and policy planning documents used the notion of culture and creative industries, and emphasised confidence in the importance of cultural investment in economy. However, recently the notion of creative industries is used more often, and a distinction is made between creative industries and culture industries at the political level. After conducting her research on the specific understanding of the creative industries sector by various parties involved in the sector, the author of the paper came to a conclusion that there is an apparent plurality of opinions. Thus, there are differences in understanding the questions of creative industries among various parties involved in the creative industries sector; the opinions also differ within the same party. The understanding of culture and creative industries often differs from the policy framework for creative industries. It does not promote a common understanding among creative industries, and it hinders the overall development of the sector.