Hong Kong can position itself as a creative hub in the region with a little help from educators
NOT SO LONG ago creative industries were thought to be inconsequential to economies, even in industrialised nations. Little time or money was provided to develop them, and only a minority pursued a career in a field which was, for the most part, unconventional.
But attitudes are changing, and industries such as advertising, architecture, design, publishing, conventional and digital entertainment and the arts are now at the heart of a growing sector of the global economy.
Britain was one of the first countries to promote the creative industries. In London, the sector is second only to the financial services (two-thirds its size) and it is growing faster. Cultural and creative industries account for about 8 per cent of Britain's gross domestic profit.
In Hong Kong that figure is about 4 per cent, compared with 12.3 per cent for financial services, one of the forerunners of the economy.
According to industry experts, Hong Kong has the potential to provide a stage where region-wide creativity can be nurtured.
