Managing the marketplace of services and goods online

The Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) is spearheading a significant shift in the creative sector, focusing on cross- and international dialogue, research, and evidence-based policymaking.

Based in the UK, the PEC is a research organisation dedicated to understanding the changing conditions of creative production. Their research program for 2019 aimed to provide robust evidence and data to support policymaking in the creative industries, enhancing understanding of its economic impact and informing effective policy decisions.

One of the key areas of focus for the PEC is the 'platform economy'. This online arrangement organises and structures economic and social activity, including services like advertising, social networking, content publishing, and distribution. Platforms, as key intermediaries, seek maximum benefit from their 'network centrality'. They capture behavioural data for the targeting of content and finance creative production, most notably in the audiovisual market.

Professor Martin Kretschmer, Director of CREATe, and Professor Philip Schlesinger, Deputy Director of CREATe and a Professor in Cultural Policy at the University of Glasgow, are at the forefront of this research. The PEC is conducting research on the interface between copyright law and algorithms, the empowerment of creators, barriers to debt finance in the creative industries, and the regulation of internet platforms.

The control of data is becoming increasingly important in the creative industries, raising fundamental research questions for the future. Douglas Noonan and Joanna Woronkowicz are discussing the dangers of dismissing or discarding data in the arts, while Ve Dewey is asking questions about AI reshaping culture and who gets to create in the creative sector.

International cooperation is also a crucial aspect of the PEC's work. Marta Foresti, as the new Chair of the Global Creative Economy Council (GCEC), is emphasising its value. The GCEC is exploring opportunities and risks in the Maldives' tourism industry, and conversations between the Global North and South are being discussed in the context of the creative economy.

The PEC is also developing digital tools to make evidence more useful, usable, and used. They are planning to create a data tool based on the Online Copyright Infringement (OCI) tracker surveys conducted since 2012, and are producing a comprehensive online Evidence portal, aiming to become the global reference point in this field, drawing on Wiki technology and user involvement.

The creative industries are being discussed in relation to driving environmental sustainability. Journalism accredited qualifications are being emphasised as important in their respective field, and co-location of the Creative Industries with other industrial strategy priority sectors is being considered.

Professor Dave O'Brien is discussing the importance of higher education to the arts, culture, and heritage sectors, while Professor Nick Wilson is focusing on the equity gap in Britain's creative industries. The spending review's implications for the creative industries are also being debated.

A summary of key sector-wide announcements from the Creative Industries Sector Plan is provided, offering insights into the future direction of the creative industries. As the PEC consolidates evidence, develops a program of research, and delves into platform regulation this year, it promises to be an exciting time for the creative sector.