Creativity gives rise to the goods and services of cultural industries in which abstract dimensions—such as culture and art—are linked to other, more concrete dimensions such as production, the economy, and the market.

In 2009, UNESCO proposed an “inclusive and open” definition of the cultural and creative industries:

“These are the sectors of activity whose main objective is creativity, production or reproduction, promotion, dissemination, and marketing of goods, services, and activities with cultural, artistic, or heritage content.”

Culture boosts the economy without harming the environment

Cultural and creative industries are currently one of the strategic priorities of many local and regional governments and the European Commission itself .

The reason? Their positive effects in terms of job creation and economic revitalization. These industries are comprised of a group of sectors that employ skilled labor and do not generate significant negative environmental impacts. Furthermore, they are activities that are difficult to relocate.

The positive effects of cultural and creative industries have been studied, above all, in large metropolitan areas, such as Paris , London or Barcelona , ​​for example.

Together with professor and researcher Lina Maddah , I analyzed how these sectors also play a significant role in job creation in Catalan municipalities. The study’s novelty is that we identified that the effects are primarily felt in small municipalities, making these sectors a key factor in territorial balance.

Types of cultural and creative industries

The cultural and creative industries are divided into three groups:

1. Production activities, such as crafts, jewelry, and printing.
2. Services for companies, such as design and architecture.
3. Consumer services, such as theater, music, and visual arts.

These groups are not evenly distributed across the territory. Consumer service activities are prominent in large cities and tourist areas. Production and business service activities are more common in medium-sized and small municipalities. This trend is especially evident in the inland areas of Catalonia.

Specialization in cultural and creative industries.

Cultural and creative businesses improve employment levels in small and medium-sized municipalities. The positive impact is notable in sectors related to production and consumer services. This demonstrates that specializing in cultural and creative industries benefits small municipalities, as it generates positive externalities that affect virtually all sectors in the region.

Other effects of cultural and creative industries

In addition to their economic impact, cultural and creative industries help to consolidate populations in small municipalities, which contributes to curbing rural depopulation.

Although they are not a magic solution for growth or a definitive remedy for depopulation, they do add value to the local economy and may be preferable to other, more traditional sectors. Cultural activities are a revitalization strategy and create jobs where other traditional sectors have lost ground. The consequence of this is the emergence of cultural clusters , such as the audiovisual sector , some of them in areas far from Catalonia’s metropolitan centers.

Cultural and creative industries contribute significantly to small municipalities. Their benefits go beyond creating wealth and employment. They foster innovation and attract talent. They also enhance the prestige of the region and improve the quality of life. They help preserve cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. Furthermore, they connect well with other key sectors, such as tourism.

Some examples of local revitalization through cultural and creative industries include the cases of Sitges ( International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia ), Tàrrega ( FiraTàrrega ) or Calonge , the first “book town” in Catalonia.

Dynamization at the local level

Cultural and creative businesses need public administrations to be more productive. We want to emphasize the importance of expanding the scope of these administrations’ cultural policies. Actions should not focus solely on metropolitan areas: they must also include small municipalities, often far from the most populated areas. Collaboration networks between municipalities can be promoted. Another useful measure is supporting creative coworking spaces . Promoting digitalization is also key. These policies help build a more diverse, decentralized, and resilient productive fabric.

Outside of large cities, companies in the sector face significant challenges. Infrastructure in small municipalities is not always adequate or sufficient. Furthermore, good transportation connections are often lacking. Services (public and private) are also often scarce.

This negatively affects the competitiveness of local businesses. Therefore, investing in the cultural and creative industries in peripheral areas requires a comprehensive approach. It must be part of a policy that boosts regional competitiveness. In short, it is necessary to achieve a balance between these sectors and other economic activities.

Beyond the large urban centers

Catalonia is a benchmark in many sectors of the cultural and creative industries, especially in museums, publishing, audiovisual, and digital creation. However, much remains to be done in terms of territorial balance. There are creative sectors with a distinctly urban character, such as video games in the 22@ district of Barcelona. However, other cultural sectors are much more efficient away from large urban centers.

To optimize the potential of the cultural and creative sectors as a whole, it is necessary to go beyond large metropolitan areas. This is the only possible policy if we are to move toward a territorially decentralized and socially and economically sustainable economic fabric.

Author Bio: Josep-Maria Arauzo-Carod is Professor of Economics, Chair of ECO-SOS and Vice-chair of IU-RESCAT at Rovira i Virgili University