A Creative & Cultural Industry Index For South Africa

Overview

It is difficult to plot a way forward if you do not know where you are currently. With Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) understanding the status, is very complicated. Although most people think they know what the terms ‘cultural’ or ‘creative’ denote, once they commence defining CCIs, the real issues begin to appear. Even the definitions of creative and culture, when related to industries, have no clear definitions when applied globally, nationally and even locally in some instances. There is a continuum of products and services that may seem to be more cultural and others more creative. Another problem is the rapidly changing landscape that renders some creative products obsolete while introducing others. Coupled with technology, definition is often a shifting goal.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) remain two key lynchpins in the definitional debate around the CCIs and their associated domains – and it is onto these that we hinge our discussions for the establishment of a South African CCI Index. However, once this issue of agreeing on the CCI domains, another issue regarding dimensions appears. Although there is less uncertainty regarding the definition of dimensions, the issue of which dimensions are relevant for a South African CCI Index arises. One dimension alone will not give a complete or accurate picture of the state of South Africa’s cultural and creative economy. A multi-dimensional approach is necessary. Sub-indices must be created. Form these composite indices can becalculated.

However, this too brings complications that need to be addressed before a South Africa CCI Index can be calculated. Questions must be asked if any domain (or products, services or another element within a domain) is more important. For example, are the number of people employed more important than the value–added? Is the number of museums more important than the number of libraries (or is the number of visitors to each the overriding factor)? Similarly, when it comes to the dimensions are export more important than imports? Is turnover more important than gross value added?

This document address these issues form both a theoretical and a practical point of view. It identifies both the domains and the dimensions that can be used to calculate the South African CCI Index and sub-indices. This report identifies the data that is available and the issues that may present problems. It also shows with whom partnerships should be initiated and concluded to develop and maintain the CCI Index.

A few indices are calculated to demonstrate some of the issues that may be experienced when developing the CCI Index. A proposed way forward is also layout showing the sequencing of events that are necessary to develop a stable and robust South African CCI Index.