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Creative industries

Introduction | Research reports | Action plan | Advisory group | Projects | Key facts | Arts in Auckland | Screen production | Creative events | Organisations assisting creative sector

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Introduction

The creative industries have been identified by the New Zealand Government as an important business sector for the country and the Auckland region.

The sector, especially the design and digital components, is considered significant as an enabler for growth across other economic sectors.

Auckland City supports and works with industry groups and organisations like New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and Creative New Zealand to support the sustainable development of creative businesses in Auckland city.

We believe the success of creative businesses in Auckland is vital to securing the city's place as one of the world's most dynamic and vibrant cities to live and do business.

Guided by the city's Arts Agenda, we take a leadership role to develop the city as a an arts and cultural centre and fund a wide range of theatre, dance and other performing arts activities. We fund key cultural assets and venues such as the Art Gallery, Aotea Centre and Civic Theatre.

We recognise the value of the screen production industry to the economy of the city and we established Film Auckland, a regional marketing office for the screen production industry.

We commission research to better understand the creative industry sector. The research forms the basis of an action plan that identifies additional roles for the council and partners to support economic growth in the industry.

The creative industries sector is a diverse one and it is difficult to define 'creative industry'. The creative sector includes arts through to different economic sectors.

Our research project analyses the sector, uses categories based on work done internationally and in New Zealand by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER).

Our research project includes the following categories:

• publishing
• design (including architecture, advertising, graphics and designer fashion)
• music
• performing arts
• visual arts
• crafts and photography
• screen production
• radio and digital media.

Our analysis of the sector provides information that adds value to the region's understanding of creative industries. In that way it supports the Auckland Regional Economic Development Strategy (AREDS) at a regional level, and the Growth Innovation Framework (GIF) and the work of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) at a national level.

Auckland Regional Economic Development Strategy is based on a widespread partnership across the region's communities in order to define a clear economic direction for the Auckland region's future.

Auckland Plus, a business unit of the Auckland Regional Council, is working on the development of several major projects for the region. We are working with the screen production sector on a Major Regional Initiative. This industry led initiative is also supported by Waitakere City Council and others in the region and will help grow the industry through local and international marketing, increasing domestic and international activity as well as increasing training and networking. The screen production initiative is being funded through NZTE. NZTE has a special focus on assisting the creative sector, as a lead agency in the government's Growth and Innovation Framework.

GIF sets New Zealand's strategic direction in terms of economic development. The creative sector has been selected as an area of focus (along with bio-tech and information communication technology) and one that has the potential to grow in its own right and enable growth across other sectors of the economy.