Progress in 2013
CCI was engaged for the second time by the UK research organisation Nesta to conduct research on an improved methodology for the classification of creative industries from that currently used by the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The methodology uses more objective criteria to define creative occupations and evidenced-based criteria to define them better. Under CCI’s lead, other contributors to the research were Alan Freeman from London Metropolitan University, Hasan Bakhshi from Nesta, UK and Amanda Morgan from Trends Business Research Limited, UK. The results of the research were published by Nesta and are available from its website. www.nesta.org.uk/home1/assets/blog_entries/dynamic_mapping
The Benchmarker Project released the second generation of its revolutionary online longitudinal data-gathering and benchmarking tool. Despite our three-year agreement with the Queensland government ending, mid-year surveys and the resultant benchmark reports have continued to be offered to Queensland’s design community, with the support of the Queensland chapters of the Institute of Architects, the Design Institute and the Australian Graphic Design Association.
Creative Employment Mapping
The data from the 2011 Census was released in late 2012, and CCI has been engaged by the Australia Council for the Arts to update the 2010 report So what’s your other job?: a census study. A range of academic and commissioned research reports are planned to extend our understanding of creative employment at the national, state and major region level. Overseas interest in the program’s research continues to build.
Creative Business Benchmarker
The Benchmarker project is working in conjunction with the local chapters of the design bodies to attract additional research partners/customers in Australia and overseas.
New Knowledge Generated
The report The Dynamic Mapping of the UK’s Creative Industries (Bakhshi, Freeman and Higgs, 2012), from research conducted for Nesta, has been presented at the highest levels of the UK government, and to a number of government and independent bodies related to skills development. It has already generated considerable debate in the short time since its release (in December 2012). It is anticipated that the definitional methodology will be adopted by the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport for future economic and employment analyses. The methodology has now also been applied by CCI to the Australian occupation and industry classifications, resulting in a slightly more restricted but much clearer definition of creative employment. Interest has been expressed to CCI in applying the methodology in parts of Europe and Canada.