The document is a comprehensive examination of the concept of the creative economy and more particularly of how the current labour policy framework should adapt to the realities creative professionals.

The report reflects a broad range of approaches to the creative economy in a number of countries which have undertaken to develop strategies to promote the creative economy and to encourage creative professionals.

A review of 20 countries active in policies to build creative labour forces alongside policies to stimulate innovation and creative enterprise, finds existing policy instruments can be divided into four categories: “education and training”, “awards and contests”,“business support” and “tax and social security policies” with most of the emphasis on the former. After looking at special efforts to establish the economic rights of artists, the authors conclude a broader approach to “flexicurity” – that is social security for the self employed flexible labour force – is a key driver of creative innovation.

The report examines the Canadian approach to the status of the artist question and offers some new thinking about how best to deal with the unique characteristics of workers in the creative economy.

The report was commissioned as a contribution to the International Forum on the Creative Economy held in Gatineau on March 17-18, 2008.

http://www.ccarts.ca/en/advocacy/publications/policy/economiecreative.htm