Briefing Paper

Economic Profiling of the Creative Industries: A Desk Review

“The UN’s Creative Economy Report 2010 notes the increasing acceptance of the role of the creative economy as a leading sector in generating economic growth, employment and trade, and that creative industries are
among the most dynamic sectors of the world economy – offering new, high growth opportunities for developing countries. Yet we hardly hear discussions of art, culture
and creativity in terms of economic development in Zambia. Presently, there is a dearth of information in relation to
the contribution creative industries are actually making to our economy overall. This is partly because the creative sector is largely informal, often dynamic and fluid in
nature and there is very little statistical information available. Using exploratory data mining techniques, this study is an attempt to glean data from official data sources to examine the economic importance of the creative industries in Zambia. This is in order to help both policymakers and industry professionals to communicate key concepts, share reliable data and make the case for greater investment in the sector.”