Choose a new palette for India's creative economy
- The creative economy refers to sectors of an economy that involve the creation and exploitation of creativity or knowledge. It includes areas such as art, music, film, design, and digital content creation. Its significance lies in its contribution to job creation, economic growth, tourism, and exports, and its role in fostering societal development.
- Notably, the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2022) recognized culture’s economic importance and transformative power for sustainable development.
Challenges faced by Indian artistes
- Economic and market challenges: Indian artists struggle with issues related to economic sustainability and gaining adequate market access to monetize their work.
- Preservation of traditional art forms: In the face of rapidly changing societal trends, preserving and promoting traditional art forms presents significant challenges.
- Inequalities in representation and support: Artists often face a lack of transparency in the selection process for financial assistance and event organization. Those based outside cities are particularly disadvantaged.
- Crime in the art world: Artists must contend with art-related crimes such as theft, forgery, and illicit trafficking. These crimes undermine cultural heritage, financial security, and public trust.
Suggestions for the creative economy
- Promoting a collaborative cultural economy: Creating a collaborative model that supports the cultural economy is vital. This includes encouraging tech-based start-ups in the arts sector.
- Capacity-building centre for artists: A capacity-building centre can offer guidance, technical support, infrastructure, and access to investors, contributing to India’s soft power.
- Training and professional development: Artists need training, professional development, and market access. Networking within larger communities can also foster knowledge sharing.
- Leveraging data analytics: Data analytics can be utilized to foster creative ecosystems that contribute to a sustainable world, highlighting emerging trends and informing policy recommendations.
- Facilitation mechanism for artists and entrepreneurs: A facilitation mechanism can focus on fostering knowledge sharing, networking, and economic empowerment for individual artists and creative entrepreneurs. This can be achieved by offering business training, incubating innovative projects, and connecting them with global marketing platforms, tools, and practices. This platform can provide sustainable livelihood solutions for artists and artisans, leveraging the latest Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to enhance their participation in the business ecosystem.
- Creative economyin India must be promoted by:
- Defining and mapping the creative industriesin India.
- Funding to finance creative industries.
- Focusing on joint programmes.
- Addressing the issue of Promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)and local artisans.
- Establishing creative districts and hubs.
- Forming a specialised institution for creative industries.
- While India has made progress in industries associated with the creative economy, the country has significant scope to upscale the value of its creative economy.
- There is a need for drawing up a single definition for creative economy in the country, while having a dedicated institution, which could explore its untapped potential.
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