A number of recent events point to the growth of movements, publications and activities related to the “Creative Economy”. Some examples are as follows:

In 2001, QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY in Brisbane, Australia, launched the world’s first Bachelor’s Degree program in “Creative Industries.” The first class graduated in 2004;

In September 2002, the FIRST INTERNATIONAL FORUM OF CREATIVE INDUSTRIES was held in St. Petersburg, Russia. The event, organized by the governments of several countries, focused on the theme “Creative Industries in Modern Cities”;

In June 2004, the 11th UNCTAD, held in Brazil for the first time, more specifically, in the city of São Paulo, included the “Workshop on Cultural Entrepreneurship on Creative Industries” and the “High Level Panel on Creative Industries and Development”;

In April 2005, the International Forum of Creative Industries, organized by the governments of approximately 20 countries, was held in the city of Salvador, Bahia. The Forum established the implementation of the “CENTRO INTERNACIONAL DAS INDÚSTRIAS CRIATIVAS” (The International Center of Creative Industries) in that city. Brazil chose to focus on the “Monumenta” Project, linked to the Ministry of Culture, which involves the preservation of 82 cities listed by the Historical Heritage authorities. This project counts on the financial support of the International Development Bank/IDB, and is linked to the Project that represents the “Creative Industries” in Brazil;

On July 21, 2005, Business Week Magazine created the INNOVATION & DESIGN CHANNEL, available online, with the objective of keeping track of the developments within the so-called “Creative Economy”;

The headline on the cover of the August 1, 2005 issue of Business Week magazine was: GET CREATIVE! The magazine published a number of articles on the subject at the same time the creation of the Innovation and Design Channel was announced. These articles were widely read and commented on. Other industry magazines published similar articles on the subject;

The BEYOND 2005 Forum was held on November 15 and 16, 2005 in Singapore. The forum was a joint effort between Creative Industries Singapore, a Division of the Ministry of Information, Communications and Arts, and the Global Brand Forum Pte Ltd., which also organizes the Global Brand Forum;

The SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CREATIVE INDUSTRY WEEK was held for the first time on December 1, 2005, in Shanghai. This event was organized by institutions linked to Intellectual Property, Culture and Broadcast, the Economy Commission and the Science, Technology, Construction and Education Committees;

GLAMORGAN UNIVERSITY, in the United Kingdom, announced that in 2007 it plans to start a graduate program in “Creative and Cultural Industries”. The fact that the graduate program was named “Creative and Cultural Industries” was fortunate, as in a certain way this helps eliminate the interpretation normally associated with the fact that the expression “Creative Industries” involves only the Cultural Field.

“The Knowledge Economy” as we know it is being eclipsed by something new -- call it the Creativity Economy. Even as policymakers and pundits wring their hands over the outsourcing of engineering, software writing, accounting, and a myriad of other high-tech, high-end service jobs -- not to mention the move of manufacturing to Asia -- U.S. companies are evolving to the next level of economic activity.

What was once central to corporations -- price, quality, and much of the left-brain, digitized analytical work associated with knowledge -- is fast being shipped off to lower-paid, highly trained Chinese and Indians, as well as Hungarians, Czechs, and Russians. Increasingly, the new core competence is creativity -- the right half of the brain that smart companies are now harnessing to generate top-line growth. The game is changing. It isn't just about mathematics and science anymore. It's about creativity, imagination, and, above all, innovation.