CWF 2009 opened: The creative industry is an important new driver of growth in Baden-Württemberg
01.12.09
"Baden-Württemberg has developed into a top location for creativity and technology. The Southwest of Germany is one of the most innovative regions – even in global comparison. At the Creativity World Forum, we will be able to prove that we have earned a top position and to undertake some global networking," says the event's patron, Baden-Württemberg Premier Günther H. Oettinger and Minister of Economics Ernst Pfister at the opening of the Creativity World Forum 2009 in Ludwigsburg.
Creative Economy as Central Creator of Jobs
"The creative economy is increasingly becoming a central creator of jobs in Baden-Württemberg. It has managed to catch up with the traditional industries in Southwest Germany," say Premier Oettinger and Minister of Economics Pfister regarding the new figures released by the bureau of statistics on the development of cultural and creative industries in Baden-Württemberg. The Creative Industry in Southwest Germany was able to bring in almost 20 Billion Euros in 2008 The current numbers, which have been published for the first time, further emphasize the growing importance of the creative industry in the entire location, says Minister Pfister. According to him, the industries belonging to this segment have had a considerable share in the total revenue of the Baden-Württemberg economy.
The cultural and creative industry employees were able to generate revenue of almost 20 billion Euros in 2008, amounting to a percentage of 2.7 percent of the Baden-Württemberg total economy. Cultural and creative industry employees number 155,000 in total. This corresponds to 3.7 percent of the State's labour force. 28,000 companies and freelancers in Baden-Württemberg, corresponding to 6.6 percent, come from the area of the cultural and creative industries.
Employment Growth twice that of the total Economy
In the annual average, employment in the cultural and creative industries of Baden-Württemberg has grown more than twice as much as that of the total economy since 2000, Pfister explained. According to information from the bureau of statistics, the total number of employees in the cultural and creative industries rose by approx. 17,000 between 2000 and 2008 (bureau of statistics, 2009). Pfister explains that the field of software and games had developed particularly dynamically during the past few years. "The creative industry in Baden-Württemberg recognized the changes caused by digitalisation and globalisation at an early point in time and actively shapes them." This was proven by the fact that a lot of innovation and employment opportunity arise in the State at the interfaces between high tech and creativity.
Baden-Württemberg Software Industry far above average
The Southwest of Germany is far ahead of other regions when it comes to the change towards convergent, digital and global structures. Another indication for this is that almost every other employee in the creative industry is working in the software industry, which has been subject to particularly dynamic development. "The software industry share in Baden-Württemberg is far above the Federal average, which emphasises the innovative structure of our economy even today," says Klaus Haasis, Managing Director of MFG Baden-Württemberg, who has organised the Creativity World Forum in cooperation with the Ministry of Economics. While this area has a 44 % share in the Baden-Württemberg creative industry, the Federal average only reaches 33 % (bureau of statistics 2009).
State supports networking between economy and science
"In Baden-Württemberg, knowledge and creativity are already transferred into innovative business ideas and new work places more effectively than in other regions," comment both Oettinger and Pfister. The State government is to continue its policy of systematic formation of clusters and networking between industry and science. Klaus Haasis emphasises, "From the creative business idea down to the successful launch on the market, the State supports dozens of creative start-ups each year. This targeted support has also made the media and IT area so very successful in our State."
Creativity World Forum: New opportunities for added value and innovation
"Development towards digital knowledge industry is speeding up," explains Minister Pfister. "Baden-Württemberg has achieved the top position in this development by cooperating in the international Districts of Creativity network, and thus opening up a high growth potential for itself." Oettinger and Pfister stressed that the Creativity World Forum helped to accelerate the development of new opportunities for added value by linking the creative industry to the client and user industries. This way, the event laid the foundation for further industry dynamics. Not only from this point of view is it a suitable closing event for the European Year of Creativity and Innovation.
