Creative industries

The phrase Creative Industries (or sometimes Creative Economy) refers to a set of interlocking industry sectors, and are often cited as being a growing part of the global economy. The creative industries are often defined as those that focus on creating and exploiting intellectual property products; such as Music, film, and games, or providing business-to-business creative services such as Advertising, Public Relations and Direct Marketing. Aesthetic live performance experiences are also generally included, contributing to an overlap with definitions of Art and Culture, and sometimes extending to include aspects of Tourism and Sport. Economic activities focussed on designing, making and selling objects such as jewellery, haute couture or fine art also often feature in definitions of the sector because the value of such objects derives from a high degree of aesthetic originality.

Demarcation of the sector
The UK Government Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has produced a widely-quoted definition of the Creative Industries as:
“those industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property.” (DCMS 2001, p. 04) - (for a definition see also Cultural Institutions Studies).
The current DCMS definition recognises eleven creative sectors
Advertising
Architecture
Arts and Antique Markets (see also Restoration)
Crafts
Design (see also Communication Design)
Designer Fashion
Film, Video and Photography
Software, Computer Games and Electronic Publishing
Music and the Visual and Performing Arts
Publishing
Television and Radio
The DCMS list has been influential, and many other nations have formally adopted it. It has not, however, been immune from criticism. It has been argued that the division into sectors obscures a divide between lifestyle business, non-profits, and larger businesses, and between those who receive state subsidies (e.g., film) and those who do not (e.g., computer games). The inclusion of the antiques trade is often questioned, since it does not generally involve production except of reproductions and fakes. The inclusion of all computer services has also been questioned.
Some nations, such as Hong Kong, have preferred to shape their policy around a tighter focus on copyright ownership in the value chain. They adopt the WIPO's classifications, which divide the Creative Industries up according to who owns the copyrights at various stages during the production & distribution of creative content.
Others have suggested a distinction between those industries that are open to mass production and distribution (film and video; videogames; broadcasting; publishing), and those that are primarily craft-based and are meant to be consumed in a particular place and moment (visual arts; performing arts; cultural heritage).