The Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia Christa Thoben Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Brussels Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Brussels and European Capital of Culture 2010 Essen for the Ruhr cordially invite you to the 1st European Conference on Cultural and Creative Economy.

Cultural and Creative Economy: Stronger than the Chemical Industries! 5.8 million employees accounted for a turnover of 654 billion Euros in 2004 in sectors such as literature, film, music, architecture, performing arts, visual arts, dance, advertising, design and video games. These branches called Cultural and Creative Economy contribute a share of 2.6 per cent in the European Gross Domestic Product (GDP), more than the food industries (1.9%) or the chemical industry (2.3%).

Spending on culture is a solid investment, concludes Ján Figel European Commissioner for Culture.

In May 2007 the European Commission adopted a new Agenda for Cultural Policy as well as for Cultural and Creative Economy. In September 2007 the first Cultural Forum of the European Union took place in Lisbon. Also in autumn 2007 the “Essen Declaration” was adopted, summarizing the results of the international congress Cultural Economy in Europe which the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy and the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia had organized at Zeche Zollverein, Essen.

In March 2008 the European Commission proposed the year 2009 to be the European Year of Creativity and Innovation. In April 2008 the European Parliament debated about culture as an economic factor.

One priority is more communication between players of the Cultural and Creative Economy and European policy-makers. The European Conference on Cultural
and Creative Economy wishes to contribute to that by creating an annual platform on which entrepreneurs and representatives of the creative industries as well as Members of the European Parliament and representatives of the European Commission can inform themselves and discuss the economic development and political support of Cultural and Creative Economy in Europe.

European-creative-industries
Kulturpolitik-kulturwirtschaft (German)

Location:
Vertretung des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen
bei der Europäischen Union
Rue Montoyer 47
1000 Brüssel
Belgium
E-Mail