Regional Development - The Cultural & Creative Industries in South Africa

Overview

There is growing international interest in how the cultural and creative industries can be used to drive regional economic growth and development. However, previous research has found that the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) usually form clusters in cities due to the benefits of established hard and soft infrastructure (Flew, 2010). To date, there has been little research on CCI clustering in rural areas and regions without large cities. This paper aims to fill the gap be demonstrating how mapping techniques can be used to identify regional clusters. Such information is important for the design of effective regional cultural policy.

The Sarah Baartman District (SBD) of South Africa’s Eastern Cape is the largest district in the province yet it does not have any large urban centers. The district has nevertheless identified culture as a potential new economic driver (Sarah Baartman District Municipality, 2016). The identification and development of new economic drivers is necessary as
the former economic mainstays of mining and agriculture in many small towns have declined (Nel and Binns, 2007). The potential exists for clusters to form in small towns as many CCIs do not require high technology inputs, extensive networks or long supply chains (Oakley, 2006).

There are several potential benefits of the CCIsto both economic and social development including job creation, income generation, the intrinsic value of cultural products and spillovers. To investigate whether clusters can form in small towns and the relationship of the CCIs to development, three maps were created for the SBD using geographic information systems(GIS) technology. By examining the number and type of CCIs (classified by UNESCO cultural domains), it was found that clusters can form in small town settings. These domains should be targeted for development as clusters that are already established have a greater chance of success. An economic welfare indicator was created with economic and social components to measure the potential development contribution of the CCIs to the municipalities within the district. The municipalities with larger
numbers of CCIs tended to have better welfare scores. There is thus a positive relationship between the presence of the CCIs and development.