The Creative Economy Working Group within the Finance Ministry is developing the idea of setting up "creative clusters" as part of the government's creative-industry strategy.

The strategy is in line with the 2010 Budget that spoke of the government's commitment to the development of the creative industries. It should be finalised by the end of the year to start being implemented in 2011.

The working group was mapping the creative industry in terms of employment and consumption to figure out the valued added it was generating, said its creative economy advisor, Toni Attard. Initial indications of the sector's performance will be released next week.

Mr Attard explained that the creative economy was already a leading component of growth, employment and trade in most advanced countries. A study showed that, in Europe, it was growing 12 per cent faster than the overall economy. The positive trend occurred in every region and was expected to continue into the next decade, Mr Attard said.

Creative clusters would not only be offering physical spaces and specific incentive programmes but also have the potential to act as incubation centres, he explained.

"Open round the clock, they are places to live and work, where cultural products are made and consumed. They feed on diversity in busy, multicultural, urban settings.

"A cluster of creative enterprises needs much more than the standard vision of a business park next to a technology campus. It includes non-profit enterprises, cultural institutions, arts venues and individual artists too," he said.

Addressing a seminar on Tuesday on Supporting The Creative Industry, one of the activities of the EU SME Week, Mr Attard gave Ta' Qali as an example of one such cluster but said it needed to be studied further and improved on. Valletta's Strait Street was another potential zone for creative entrepreneurs.