Creative industry to prosper if given government support

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu’s creative industry will only prosper if given ample support by the government coupled with a constant coordination from a strong advocacy group of the creative industry in the province.

This according to Andrew Senior, head for creative economy unit of the British Council, during the official launching of “Creative Cebu” program.

Both government and the industry players are urged to work together in maximizing the potential of Cebu’s creative industry, and making it one of the economic drivers of the province.

A strong advocacy group to push Cebu’s creative industry is needed in order to persuade the government in making policies and development programs for the sector and to understand the creative industry very well, as it covers a broad spectrum of skills.

The sustainability of the “Creative Cebu” program now lies in the hands of the successful Cebuano creative entrepreneurs, on how to nurture the province’s creative sector, providing opportunities for creative people to make money out of their world-class creations and talents.

Senior suggests that the industry needs “very strong, influential and articulate” people to lead the Creative Cebu” industry, to constantly work with the government and ultimately find help and support assistance.

In the United Kingdom for instance, a lot of government agencies are supporting the creative sector because of the persistence of players to strengthen the industry.

One of the things the government should put their involvement into, is the education sector, teaching students to capitalize on their talents, rather than considering it a “hobby or passion.”

While it is important to recognize ones talent, what matters now, is a talented person should also know in “paying his way into the world.”    

Naturally, artists, or creative people are the “most difficult raw material to manage”, because artists’ temperament are erratic, and most of them do not have strong “business sense.”

The government and creative entrepreneurs should be able to formulate a good program educating the passionate creative people to make money out of their talents, capitalize on it. After all, the world’s economy now is highly dominated by creative people.

Strong networking between creative people, and alliance between creative entrepreneurs should be established, Senior said.