Creative Industries have important spin-off effects

Bernd Fesel

The creative industries are interesting for the regeneration of cities because they have large spin-off effects. Branches of the creative and cultural industries always generate value added for other sectors of the economy, whether it’s tourism, infrastructure, improved image or just an increased economic turnover. For this reason it was obvious that creative industries would be a&nbsp;good investment because it is an investment multiplier. We saw it here in the Ruhr region after two years of actively supporting the creative industries – which existed here already – we’ve seen the growth rate of companies go up by 7% per year. We see examples where the creative industries start reusing empty unused spaces, such as old railways stations, empty townhalls and churches. Those companies are not just doing their business, they are doing something for the city that no other branch of the economy is doing. <br><span><br> </span> Some 10 years ago, Coca-cola stopped its production in Essen and around 500 employees lost their jobs. Today, creatives from the field of communication and product design use the building without public financial support, based on self-initiative. At the moment, there are around 670 people working there. These industrial spaces lost their original purpose, but the creative industry now utilises them and adds to the attractiveness of the city. People like to work in design environment, not in ugly, monotonous surroundings. This place, Zeche Ludwig, is now somewhere where people also go out.

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Bernd Fesel

Bernd Fesel

Founder of European Centre for Creative Economy

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