Anyone who has been paying attention to creative industries in China over the past few years will have noticed a significant boost in its prominence and influence. From grassroots creative bazaars to large scale, government-organized expos, creative industries and the people fueling them are starting to make an increasingly large impact on society.
To help put the growth of creative industries in a broader context, PSFK friend Zafka Zhang recently posted on his experience at the government organized eARTS festival and the larger factors behind the growth of creative industries in China. As a sound artist and the leading authority on virtual worlds in China, Zafka is well positioned to comment on this important trend.
Below is a brief summary of the major factors pushing the creative industries in China forward:
Economic Transformation
- shift from manufacturing to non-manufacturing industries, including creative industries
Government Support
- provision of commercial art and public spaces for creative culture events
Education
- government encouragement of creative industry education (i.e. 100,000+ university students majoring in animation, game design, etc.)
Internet
- access to pirated software for content creation (Photoshop, Audition, etc.)
- creative-focused websites (Neocha, Douban, etc.) & p2p file sharing (Emule, BT, Xunlei)
Change in Values
- growing acceptance by parents to let children pursue careers in creative industries boost in confidence in the China brand and growing individualism
Growing Demand
- consumption of creative culture in the form of indie concerts, DIY designers, etc.
China Youthology: Creative Industry and ‘Creative Generation’ in China
