The creative sector: perfect partner for beneficial marriage

The role of creativity is perceived as extremely important in the economy nowadays. Also in the Netherlands intensification of the level of creativity and innovation is required in the context of changing international economic relations and the raising needs for smart solutions for increasing complex social issues. This thesis is constructed to study the opportunities for the creative sector of the Netherlands to match this creative demand. The research concentrates on discovering ways how the creative sector can add value to the economy and society focusing on the possible contributions to (social) matters of business and government. The present complex and changing environment requires a new form of thinking to solve rising problems. In this dynamic situation the arts and artists can contribute to the broader society and the future of the knowledge economy by offering new ways beyond the boundaries of science and analytical reasoning. Artists, as creative workers with courage, are supposed to be the right persons to confront with other sectors and to transfer knowledge between industries. This reveals one concrete mode in which the creative sector can contribute to society within this creative knowledge economy, which we define as creative collaboration. The focus regarding the relationship between arts, business and society needs to shift away from traditional subsidy and sponsorship agreements towards up-to-date partnerships, which will result in a broad range of benefits. Considering the concrete artistic supply it can be argued that the overall skill of creatives is the ability to think and perceive in different ways than is usual in the business field. Theoretical and empirical research demonstrate the transfer of this skill into the ability to inspire and the capacity to transform, which can be identified as artistic added values. Next to change, also innovation, renewal and human aspects can be defined as levels at which artistic supply clearly matches to the demand of business and society. These connections are frequently applied to social matters as spatial planning (ruimtelijke ordening), ageing and population decline (krimp). To create successful creative collaborations between artists, cultural organizations, business and government, certain management is required. The most important notion in this context is the search for the right balance between room for creativity and innovation at one side, and managerial processes at the other side. A right connection between artistic motivation, external incentives and the level of creativity is required. This is the field in which the role of the intermediary becomes important. The intermediary can act like the creative broker to support both the creative actor and the client by directing and matching ideas, individuals and organizational tasks, and by operating as the interpreter to assemble two different worlds. The act of creative collaboration as described in this section can be identified as a new and immature field including lots of opportunities. To enable expansion of the new structures a whole shift of the (cultural) system is required. Both creative actors, and business and government have to become more aware of the possibilities of creative collaboration. They need to step out of their comfort zone and have to be open to cross borders. The Dutch creative sector as a whole has to become more entrepreneurial and demand orientated to connect to the (creative) demand of economy and society. The artist in particular has to become a creative worker. The latter has resulted in the formulation of a new research field covering the connection between creative collaboration, artistic motivation and the level of supplied creativity.