Finnish Government Prioritises Creative Industries – Roadmap Drives Growth in Creative Industriestries

The creative economy is one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors. Creative industries provide employment and income, promote innovation and contribute to societies’ well-being, yet their potential remains largely untapped. Recognising this shortfall, Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government made promoting creative industries one of the priorities of its Government Programme (2019). 

In order to achieve the Government’s objective, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, together with the Ministry of Education and Culture, launched a project to build a roadmap for the creative economy in autumn 2019. 

To make sure the roadmap would address real-life challenges and generate the desired impact, the ministries invited representatives from private companies, industry organisations and educational institutions to collaborate. 

What is the creative economy roadmap?

The roadmap for the creative economy is a process that aims to generate growth for companies in the creative industry as well as in other sectors. 

It outlines measures that will help to achieve the Government’s goals: to create more jobs in creative industries, increase their share of the national economy and provide better working conditions. 

“I believe that with determined action we can strengthen creative industries and create more jobs and increase productivity, even in other sectors. Besides, research shows that cultural products and services improve people’s wellbeing and sense of togetherness. It is about investing in sustainable growth and renewal,” says Annika Saarikko, the Minister of Science and Culture in 2019.

Completed in 2020, the roadmap is intended as a systematic tool to help the stakeholders put the proposed measures into action. It lays out the measures needed to drive growth, both domestic and international, within creative industries, as well as the roles and responsibilities assigned to various organisations. It also contains a follow-up plan to ensure effective implementation and to address any new needs that might emerge.

Creative businesses need new skills and competence enhancement 

As digitalisation permanently changes the way we work and as workplace transformation accelerates, new occupations emerge and new skills and competences are needed. IPR skills are crucial in practically any creative business, and an understanding of the public sector’s procurement process is essential for companies hoping to sell their services. Data and analytics competence is another area where it is extremely important to keep up to date. 

“Creative industries and creative economic activities are at the forefront of digitalisation and transformation of work. So far, however, their potential has not been fully tapped in Finland. We need targeted measures to boost growth and much more active cooperation across sectors,” says Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.

This requires swift and determined action, as these industries are dynamic and in constant change. It is important to act now in order to remain relevant, or else risk being left on the sidelines.

5 key measures identified in the roadmap

Various players from creative industries participated in workshops held in December 2019, which proposed measures for promoting the creative economy. These measures were grouped under five main headings:   

• Identifying ecosystems and networks and changes in value chains
• Different kinds of skill gaps
• Business development services
• Measures to promote growth and internationalisation
• Assessment methods and indicators

In the roadmap work, various obstacles to growth were identified, including insufficient knowledge of ecosystems and networks, changes in value chains and skills shortages. Measures outlined to support growth and development included providing services for businesses, access to networks and resources, and evaluation methods and metrics. 

Implementation of these measures is currently in progress, coordinated by Creative Business Finland, a programme operated by Business Finland.

Read more: Government aims to create economic growth and jobs in creative industries with support of roadmap and steering group

Read more: Road map for creative economy

For more information, please contact: Petra Tarjanne, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, petra.tarjanne(at)gov.fi

‍