Mapping China: Urbanisation - 8 Creative Industry

The years following 2000 saw the discovery of the value of the creative industry all over the world, which somewhat rescued the global economy from total collapse. China immediately followed up with the trend but twisted the concept a bit to its own taste.

The 11^th Five-Year Plan in 2005 outlined models of development that defined the creative industry as an important element in the urban sector. It stated that the creative industry in Beijing should reach a growth rate target of 15% annually, as if creativity is something that could be planted in the urban soil through a top-down planning method.

In the same year, conferences were held in Beijing, Shanghai and other biggest cities to promote the idea of developing a ‘Cultural and Creative Industry’. The two C-words were used simultaneously at all times, implying that the productivity of the creative business is usually evaluated through its contribution to cultural consumption.

Key words for the creative industry include creativity, communication and network. But at the centre of its development are the human resources – the so-called ‘Creative Class’. Although the internet has released people from being nailed to a particular work location, the creative class has an apparent tendency to work ‘close by’. Convenient access to a creative network, either online or offline, becomes a key indicator to the success of the creative business. In some of the biggest Chinese cities, two kinds of working spaces have become hot spots for creative businesses. The first category is shared offices (or cafés that offer rental seats) that feature dynamic exchange of information. The other category is creative parks, where one or two leading brands create a platform that feeds start-ups. In both cases, networking is a priority.

Because of the importance of forming a network, ‘Creative Clusters’ have become quite a phenomenon in the recent development of the creative industry. These clusters, be it a grassroots practice or top-down project, often times redefine their urban arenas and lead to an increase of property values. This has brought about the proliferation of creative-class real estate.