Needed: Creative ideas for the culture sector

Can artists make a living from their work? Should VAT for the arts be lowered or removed? How can we develop a National Arts Fund? Is it just an issue of "Please, sir, can I have some more?"

Such questions will be raised during Saturday's session of the Valletta Creative Forum, the think-tank for people interested in creativity.

The creative industries in the EU employ 5.8 million people and in 2003 had a turnover of more than €654 billion. This is more than double the turnover of European car makers, contributing more to the economy than the chemical industry, property or the food and drink business.

"Creative industries" is a rather new concept, which covers such diverse areas like design, painting/visual arts, web and new media, advertising, theatre, film and music.

According to the latest EU statistics, Malta's cultural and creative sector's contribution to the economy is the lowest in Europe even though cultural employment is only slightly below the EU average. The value added to national GDP is 0.2 per cent when compared to the EU average of 2.6 per cent. Malta also registers the lowest percentage of those employed in the industry with tertiary level qualifications.

Saturday's forum will discuss the processes required to professionalise the creative industries in Malta through private and public investment. It will not only examine initiatives that could kick start the sector but also probe private-public partnerships, the role of government, the film and multi-media industries.

The outcome of the forum will lead to a position paper to be presented to the Prime Minister in a public meeting, which will discuss budgetary measures for the cultural sector. This is the first time such an initiative is being taken on a national scale in favour of the creative industries.

Presentations will be made by Barclay Price, director of Arts&Business Scotland, Linda James, a Welsh film and TV producer, and the Creative Industries pre-budget working group.

Three simultaneous working groups will be held.

The free forum will be held at St James Cavalier, Valletta, between 9.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. and includes lunch. Registration is open via e-mail on euproject@sjcav.org.