Struktūriniai fondai ir kultūra

The term of creative industries came into use in Western Europe in the 1970s when the contribution of culture to social and economic development of West European countries became the object of discussion. These industries were recognized as a very influential power in the fast-changing global economy. Research findings from the UK prove that the creative industries are the most swiftly growing economic segment, which has already left behind the financial sector.

A special resolution on creative industries is being drafted by the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport at the European Parliament. The draft resolution states that the Lisbon commitments concerning Europe as a knowledge society call for adequate attention to be paid for the creative industries.

The discussion about the future of the EU programme Culture 2000, where Lithuania is also taking an active part, highlights the creative industries as a new sector for funding.

The creative industries are activities which are based on individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation of intellectual property (The Creative Industries Mapping Document, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the UK, 2001). In other words, the creative industries cover all creative activities related with copyright.

The creative industries include the following sub-sectors: architecture, crafts, the performing arts, design, interactive software, fashion, the art and antiques market, music, film and video, publishing, television and radio, software and computer services, advertising.

In the UK the creative industries are held a part of a broader notion, i.e. cultural industries, which apart from the creative industries also include libraries, heritage, leisure and tourism, and sport.

The definition of creative industries is still a matter of dispute both in the USA and Europe. It has been agreed, however, that cultural values cannot be merely defined in economic terms. Owing to their specific origin, the creative industries are nowadays classed as the most pespective branch of economy of the 21^st centure.

The conference seeks to introduce in Lithuania the notion of creative industries as a new approach, which represents culture as an active contributor to the economic and social development of the nation and which provides the operators of culture with a well-motivated stimulus to access resources allocated for the national development.

27^th of October, Monday
10.00 – 10.40	Welcome. Conference aims. Director of ECPC Elona Bajorinienė Minister of Culture Roma Žakaitienė Minister of Economy Petras Čėsna His Magesty Ambassador of UK Jeremy Hill
10.45 – 11.45	Chris Smith, DCMS “Creative Industries Mapping Document – 2001“. What are Creative Industries, why are they important, what can they bring to the economic and social development of the country. How can the creative industries act as a new reality/force for EU economical development? How can Lithuania participate in this process?
11.45 – 12.15	Coffee Break
12.15 – 12.45	Pauline Beaumont, North East of England Case Studies – part 1 How do the creative industries fit conceptually into culture in the North East region of England? How do these fit into the wider national structures and policies?
12.45 – 13.15	Mark Adamson, North East of England Case Studies – part 2 What are the concrete examples from the North East? How do the mechanisms function in reality? How have structural funds benefitted the North East’s creative industries?
13.15 – 14.30	Lunch
14.30 – 14.50	Dr. Steven Miles (doc, ppt). How does culture impact on the North East? Following the national DCMS mapping document what research has been done at the local level in the North East to advance local development of and around the creative industries? What have we learnt? How is the research methodology evolving?
14.50 – 15.15	Geoffrey Brown (doc, ppt) How does EU and Transnational Funding work? How have these EU funds been used to support the creative industries in the UK?
15.15 – 16.00	Andrew Senior. Introduction to the creative industries in Lithuania which aims to build a dialogue between Lithuania and the UK? What is the UK’s experience? Are these experiences relevant for Lithuania? How can the UK learn from Lithuania?
16.30	Evening reception
28^th of October, Tuesday
10.00 – 10.45	Dr. Margarita Starkevičiūtė (doc, ppt), What are Creative Industries in Lithuania?
10.45 – 11.30	Romualdas Stankaitis, Culture as an economical and social factor and it’s possibilities to assimilate the Structural funds in Lithuania.
11.30 – 12.00	Coffee Break
12.00 – 13.15	Raimonda Ivaškevičienė, Future prospects for creative industries within small and medium-sized busness. Dalia Bardauskienė, Culture in the context of Vilnius city strategic plan. Dr. Saulius Žukas, On honour and money in the Lithuanian business of book publishing. Audronis Imbrasas, The beginning: factories of creative industries in Vilnius, Klaipėda and Kaunas.
13.15 – 13.30	Closing speech of Vice minister of Culture Gintaras Sodeika