Can Romania become a cultural and creative hub?

The first business networking event for the Romanian cultural and creative sector sought to promote Bucharest as a regional hub of cultural and creative industries, while some 70 percent of the sector’s nationwide turnover is generated by cultural and creative projects based in Bucharest, according to Promoting Entrepreneurship in the Creative Industries, a study conducted especially for the forum. Last week, cultural entrepreneurs, public financiers, private investors, public policy experts, journalists and communication specialists met at the Creative Industries National Forum to discover how these industries can generate profit.

By Oana Vasiliu

The main objective of the forum was to present to both the national authorities and the general public the huge potential of this emerging economic sector, which the organizers say could be an important asset in the country’s social and economic development in the near future. Speaking in support were international specialists such as Andrew Senior, expert in the field of cultural policies at UNESCO and director of Andrew Senior Ltd, a global consultancy agency in the creative economy, Egbert Ruhl, CEO of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, and Edgar Garcia, director of business development at the Catalan Institute for Cultural Industries.

Istanbul vs. Bucharest

The presentations of representatives of the Ministry of Economy and European experts highlighted the need for a national strategy on how to make the most of local creativity, and also the building of institutional associations for the creative sectors to represent them before the public authorities.

Senior said that Bucharest should firstly decide which geographical zone it will represent, like Istanbul has started to brand itself as a possible Eastern European cultural and creative hub. In these terms, Bucharest could be known as a Balkan hub or Black Sea-Danube regional hub. Nonetheless, to become a creative hub, Bucharest has to improve both its cultural and digital infrastructure. “How oriented is Romania to the future? The answer to this question will also clarify whether or not the creative industries can be sustained. Bucharest has the potential to become an Eastern European regional hub only if is supported by infrastructure such as networks, equipment and workspaces that allow the exploitation of creative forces in this area,” argued Senior at the event.

Moreover, he presented the global revolution of the cultural and creative industries, a revolution fed by technology and communication infrastructure, based on the power of networking, but also with deep roots in traditions and cultural manifestations. The biggest global creative hubs are New York and London, both of which are characterized by clear regulations regarding copyright laws, exceptional educational systems, transportation hubs and strong support from local government.

Priorities for the local creative sector

A first measure to support the creative industries is their presence in the national strategy of economic competitiveness, which will be published by the Ministry of Economy. “We included a significant part dedicated to creative Romanian sectors in the economic competitiveness strategy which will be published next week. This area is very important for economic development and needs support from the authorities,” said Adrian Ciocanea, state secretary at the Ministry of Economy. He also pointed out three national priorities to strengthen this sector: Romanian creative community mapping, the establishment of clear criteria for funding for creative industries and developing an institution to represent the voice of the creative and cultural sector to the public authorities.

Another important move for increasing the impact of creativity at national level is the development of creative clusters and regional competitiveness poles. Christina Leucuta, director of industrial policy and the business environment of the Ministry of Economy, spoke about the importance of strengthening the clusters of interconnected companies and institutions in the creative industries and their need for affiliation to similar European organizations. Currently, Cluj IT is the most important creative cluster in Romania: it comprises 28 software companies, over 3,500 employees and a turnover of more than EUR 100 million generated from exports.

Since 2011, Andreea Paul Vass, first VP of the PDL, has supported the national initiative of the creative sector through the project CoNaCo – the National Council of Competitiveness. Currently, the creative industries contribute 7 percent of GDP and generate an eighth of exports.

This sector is dominated by young people, from 24 to 49, highly qualified in their domains of expertise. During the crisis (2008-2011), the broadcasting sector grew fourfold, while architecture services increased twofold.

Moreover, local initiatives have demonstrated that creative industries can garner support. Cluj IT Cluster Association launched the urban development project ClujInnovationCity, dedicated exclusively to IT projects and technologies. In 20 years, Cluj-Napoca is on course to be a major hub on the international IT map, with over 20,000 jobs.

According to Vass, five measures should be implemented immediately: the adoption of a definition and the classification of creative industries in Romania, the inclusion of creative sector jobs on the COR (the Professions List of Romania), the foundation of a Sectorial Council for the Creative Industries, in order to speak up for the sector and mediate in relations between state institutions, the creation of a sectorial brand for these industries, which will be promoted in Romania’s National Export Strategy, and public programs helping sole traders and SMEs.

International models for the creative business industry

Romania has several European models to look at, including the city of Hamburg and the region of Catalonia.

According to Egbert Ruhl, CEO of Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, in Hamburg, Germany, 80,000 people work in creative industries, posting the highest volume of sales in Germany, twice at high as in Berlin. The keys to success in this business are coaching and qualifications, real estate and the development of urban districts, access to finance and networking. In terms of

access to finance, the first regional crowd-funding platform (www.nordstarter.org) was developed in Hamburg. The platform is a database of finance possibilities for the creative industries, individual advice and lobbying for new financing options. Ruhl mentioned the importance of organizing forums for creative industries, as during this kind of event public support for this sector can be presented clearly.

Edgar Garcia Casellas, director in the department of business development at the Catalan Institute for Cultural Companies, spoke of the need to train entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries to be more investment ready, while assimilating them with other entrepreneurs, rather than creating separate categories for them.

oana.vasiliu @business-review.ro

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