UNCTAD's Creative Economy reports, in which Garrick has been involved, introduced the topic of the "creative economy" in the world economic and development agenda in 2004.

The creative economy is an emerging concept dealing with the interface between creativity, culture, economics and technology in a contemporary world dominated by images, sounds, texts and symbols.

Today, the creative industries are among the most dynamic sectors in the world economy providing new opportunities for developing countries to leapfrog into emerging high-growth areas of the world economy.

In implementing its mandate, UNCTAD has been proactive in promoting international action in the area of the creative industries, and hence, the creative economy, emphasizing their development dimension.

The creative industries are at the crossroads of the arts, culture, business and technology. All these activities are intensive in creative skills and can generate income through trade and intellectual property rights.

The conference's main theme is Development-centred globalization: Towards inclusive and sustainable growth and development.

The conference's sub –themes include:

• Enhancing the enabling economic environment at all levels in support of inclusive and sustainable development.
• Strengthening all forms of cooperation and partnerships for trade and development, including North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation.
• Addressing persistent and emerging development challenges as related to their implications for trade and development and interrelated issues in the areas of finance, technology, investment and sustainable development.
• Promoting investment, trade, entrepreneurship and related development policies to foster sustained economic growth for sustainable and inclusive development

Adequately nurtured, creativity fuels culture, infuses a human-centred development and constitutes the key ingredient for job creation, innovation and trade while contributing to social inclusion, cultural diversity and environmental sustainability.

(Creative Economy Report 2010)

To view the PRESS CONFERENCE ON CREATIVE ECONOMY REPORT 2010 please click here.

For the full report please click here.

About Garrick Jones

Garrick, Partner at the Ludic Group, is an expert in organisational design and innovation. He is a Fellow of the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) where his research is focused on the Creative Economy and all that is required to enable it and is leading one of LSE's most oversubscribed courses – Open Innovation – where his unique peer2peer based Innovation methods gets astonishing results for clients. Garrick is also a Senior Tutor at the Royal College of Art & Design (RCA) and Imperial College, London where he is Director of Design Enterprise for Innovation, Design and Engineering (IDE). Garrick is an Associate Professor at the Instituto de Empressa (IE) in Spain where he teaches on Design Strategy for Architecture, Design and Business. Garrick's clients include many of the worlds leading organisations as well as Governments.