BEYOND THE CREATIVE QUICK FIX Towards an understanding of creativity’s place in South Australia’s economic development agenda Jane Andrew A thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, The University of Adelaide August 2011 Table of Contents List of Figures viii List of Tables x Abstract xi Declaration xii Acknowledgements xiii SECTION 1: SETTING THE SCENE Prologue 2 SECTION 1 Chapter 1 Setting the scene Visions of creativity as an economic driver: A South Australian narrative 7 1.1 The purpose of the study 8 1.2 Concepts of creativity and the creative industries in South Australia 9 1.3 A script for creative policy responses or simply policy rhetoric? 11 1.4 Conceptualisations of creativity’s role in the economy: A mix of cultural, economic and social assumptions 13 1.5 The research questions and organisation of the thesis 15 1.6 The case study as a research strategy 18 1.6.1 Identifying the policy problem 1.6.2 Gathering the case study data 1.6.3 Policy analysis: Finding a key to explaining the normative effects of policy decisions and their programs 1.6.4 A conceptual framework for disentangling espoused values from policy actions seeking to foster creativity SECTION 2: TOWARDS A CREATIVE ECONOMY, WHATEVER THAT MEANS SECTION 2 Chapter 2 The highly nuanced concept of creativity 35 2.1 Defining creativity 35 2.1.1 Qualities of creative individuals 2.1.2 The creative motive 2.2 Creativity as an element of economic, cultural and social capital 40 2.3 Where can we find creativity? 42 2.4 The creative dichotomy: The divergence of the fine and mechanical arts and sciences 44 2.4.1 Creativity as a core element of society, culture and the economy ii SECTION 2 Chapter 3 Categorising creative activity 48 3.1 The institution of the Medieval guild system 49 3.1.1 Guilds interlinking economic, social, political, religious and cultural activities 3.1.2 Guilds and innovation 3.2 Creativity during The Enlightenment and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution 57 3.2.1 From arts and crafts to science, technology and industrialisation 3.2.2 Social and political perspectives influencing the perceived value of creative individuals 3.2.3 Foundations of neoliberal economic ideology and contemporary perceptions of the value of creative professionals SECTION 2 Chapter 4 A State of the Arts (?) Attempts to shape an arts and craft based economy in South Australia 76 4.1 The only free colony in Australia: A story of enterprise and resourcefulness 76 4.1.1 The culture of South Australia not just defined by taming a harsh environment 4.2 The attempt to develop a state of the Arts 79 4.2.1 Pragmatism in early arts and crafts education 4.2.2 The development of an arts and crafts focus in twentieth century South Australia 4.2.3 Changes wrought by neoliberalism and the emerging New Economy 4.3 South Australia’s shifting creative and cultural balance ‒ from intrinsic and institutional value to instrumentalising policy outcomes 88 SECTION 2 Chapter 5 Meaning making: What’s in a word (or two)? 92 5.1 Trying for more meaningful and inclusive frameworks 96 5.1.1 Discourse by UNESCO: Core and related products 5.1.2 The discourse of the Creative Community Tree 5.1.3 Revising the industry model 5.2 The concept of dynamic clusters 105 5.2.1 The technology trap 5.2.2 The knowledge pool 5.2.3 The cultural industries production system iii Case study 1: The conceptualisation and evaluation of the creative industries in South Australia 113 CS1.1 Defining South Australia’s creative industries 117 CS1.2 Measuring the contribution made by South Australia’s creative industries 118 CS1.3 Advocating the centrality of the ICT sector to South Australia’s ability to foster creativity 120 CS1.4 Innovation is applied creativity: An independent makers’ strategy for South Australia 123 SECTION 3: THE CONTEMPORARY DISCOURSE OF THE ‘CREATIVE’ ECONOMY SECTION 3Chapter 6 The contemporary discourse surrounding the New Economy 125 6.1 The ascent of neoliberal economic ideologies in the New Economy 126 6.1.1 Adam Smith revisited: Still influencing current economic theory and practice 6.1.2 New growth or endogenous growth theory 6.2 The New Economy in Australia 132 6.3 Considering Australia’s creative endeavours as an economic policy focus 136 6.3.1 Neoliberal reaction to the concept of a creative nation 6.4 Creativity an instrumental actor in the New Economy 140 6.4.1 Creativity as instrumental actor in the concept of innovation and the New Economy 6.4.2 Technology in the New Economy 6.4.3 Innovation – a creative destruction 6.4.4 The Howard government’s innovation agenda 6.4.5 Creativity, innovation and design processes, not products 6.5 Proposing a relationship between culture-based creativity and innovation 154 6.5.1 Ideas and knowledge for stimulating creativity and growth in the New Economy 6.5.2 The importance of using knowledge creatively in the New Economy 6.5.3 Knowledgeable and creative labour – where and how do they work? 6.6 Translating knowledge, cultural and creative assets 166 6.6.1 The importance of people, place and social capital in a creative and successful economy 6.7 Regional innovation systems 176 6.7.1 Industry clusters 6.7.2 Thriving regional economies – a creative union of technology, arts/culture, and civics 6.7.3 Embedding the intrinsic, institutional and instrumental value derived from creative producers into a city psyche iv SECTION 3Chapter 7 Development plans for South Australia 186 Case study 2: South Australia’s economic development policy ensemble where creativity is cast to play an instrumental role in the state’s future economic success 186 CS2.1 South Australia’s articulation of its education agenda for competing in the knowledge economy 187 CS2.2 ArtSmart in South Australia 188 CS2.3 Developing South Australia’s knowledge pool of creative capital through work and skills formation strategies 190 CS2.4 What is useful knowledge in South Australia? 192 CS2.5 South Australia seeking to utilise the instrumental value of creative capacity 199 CS2.6 Creating an enterprising workforce: Improved learning outcomes in the arts and other curriculum areas that utilise enterprise education 199 CS2.7 Richard Florida stimulates the question: Who are, and how extensive is, South Australia’s creative class? 200 CS2.8 Charles Landry Rethinking Adelaide and helping South Australia unlock its creative potential 201 CS2.9 Adelaide’s creative capital and instrument for urban regeneration 203 CS2.10 Regional innovation systems in South Australia 206 Chapter conclusion: A poorly curated repertoire of discourses and strategies creating policy predicaments 209 v SECTION 4: THE CONTEMPORARY DISCOURSE OF THE ‘CREATIVE’ ECONOMY THE STATE OF THE ARTS, CASE STUDY ANALYSIS OF THE SA STRATEGIC PLAN SECTION 4Chapter 8 South Australia: State of the Arts, whatever that means 215 Case Study 3: The South Australian Strategic Plan (SASP): Summative case study 215 CS3.1 South Australia’s plan for planning 215 CS3.2 Mandates resulting from government, business and community deliberation, or was the deliberative process used to support preconceived policy objectives? 219 CS3.3 The South Australian Strategic Plan identifying and articulating the strategic issues facing South Australia 222 CS3.4 Objectives and strategies to foster creativity in South Australia 223 CS3.5 Pinpointing connections between New Economy and endogenous growth theory and South Australia’s economic development agenda to foster creativity CS3.6 Investment in science research and innovation 238 CS3.7 Providing support infrastructure 240 CS3.8 Developing creative and innovative people 244 CS3.9 Conceptual bias or creating policy convenience? 246 CS3.10 Has South Australia developed the capacity ‘to do things differently ’ in fostering creativity since the 2004 SASP? 248 CS3.11 SASP 2004 compared to SASP 2007 – thinking strategically and acting creatively or just a creative quick fix? 252 CS3.12 A value network analysis of creativity’s contribution to South Australia’s economy 255 CS3.13 Reconceptualising creativity’s contribution to South Australia’s economy 255 SECTION 4Chapter 9 Conclusion 263 9.1 Moving beyond the creative quickfix 266 9.1.2 A grand message within the SASP or just the creative use of policy rhetoric? 9.1.3 Conceptualising an integrated framework to foster creativity in South Australia 9.2 How could South Australia analyse the differing forms of value contributed by diverse forms of creative enterprise? 273 9.2.1 Reconceptualising creativity’s contribution to South Australia’s economy 9.2.2 Fine-tuning the policy repertoire vi References 276 Attachments 289 vii List of Figures Case study 1 Figure CS1.1 Using Holden’s value framework to examine the six strategies in Arts – The Heart of South Australia 118 Figure CS1.2 Creative Industries in South Australia’s visualisation of the role of communication in bringing people together, across and between sectors 124 Figure 1.1 Schein’s (1992) three levels of culture and the relationship between them 25 Figure 1.2 Interpretation of Schein’s (1992) three levels of culture relationship between them and the broader sphere of economic activity within which the organisation functions 26 Figure 1.3 Illustrating Holden’s conceptualisation of the cultural value triangle and the relationship between intuitional, instrumental and intrinsic value produced by cultural activity 31 Figure 1.4 Illustrating Holden’s conceptualisation of the cultural value triangle and the relationship between politics, policy, creative professionals and the public in the production and consumption of cultural activity 32 Figure 1.5 Illustrating Holden’s conceptualisation of the cultural value triangle (2005) where the agents including the public and politicians/policy makers derive value from the contributions of creative professionals.