KULTŪROS POLITIKA IR KULTŪROS INDUSTRIJA: TRADICINIS SANTYKIS IR NAUJI IŠŠŪKIAI
CULTURAL INDUSTRIES AND CULTURAL POLICY: TRADITIONAL RELATION AND NEW CHALLENGES

Summary/Abstract: The article aims at the analysis of the concepts of creative and cultural industries as well as their relation to cultural policy. Taking into consideration historical and conceptual analysis, the article attempts to disclose the development of these concepts in cross cultural political discourse, the differences and their significance to cultural policy. The article claims that it is possible to distinguish two different conceptions of cultural industries: the conception of the neo Marxist cultural industries that prevail until the 80-ies; however, the start of this period signifies skeptical attitude to the neo Marxism since the conception of cultural industries started to be conceived as economic activities creating symbolic wealth. Political attitudes to cultural industries changed in the 70-ies when their economic potential, social and symbolic meanings were understood. The last decade of the 20th century highlights a new conception of creative industries, which was likely to replace the older one. The article argues that although both creative and cultural conceptions are subject to almost the same spheres of economic activity, the conception of cultural industries tends to express its major feature more definitely. This feature is comprehended as having a symbolic display of the character, ideas and meanings of the goods produced in these industries. If we reject the conception of cultural industries and melt it in the conception of creative activities, we lose the understanding of cultural industries exclusiveness and its role in the communication and self-expression. Furthermore, the article emphasizes that the difference between cultural and creative industries plays a significant role in a country’s cultural policy. The goods produced in cultural industries exert a powerful impact on human self-expression and on their self-identity formation; they are “public goods”, therefore, in order to safeguard their creation in a society to a certain extent, government’s support is inevitable. Alas, the same cannot be said about creative industries, which are likely to develop successfully under the market economy and this can be illustrated by the spheres of advertising and design.

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