Published Wednesday, 20 June, 2007 at 10:30 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
BOOM-TIME FOR QUEENSLAND’S CREATIVE TALENT
Queensland’s creative industries are booming.
To capitalise on this surging sector Minister for State Development John Mickel today launched the Queensland Government’s Creative Industries 2007–2008 Program.
Mr Mickel said Queensland’s creative industries were a Smart State priority.
“Queensland’s creative businesses are the fastest growing in the nation and are employing more people than in any other State,” Mr Mickel said.
“Since 2004, employment in our creative industries sector has grown from 28 000 to 67 000, significantly surpassing the national growth rate.
“Today Queensland’s creative industries are worth $3.4 billion annually and generate $1.1 billion in annual exports.”
Mr Mickel said over the past three years the Government had worked closely with the State’s creative industries through its Creativity is Big Business: a Framework for the Future strategy.
“We’ve had some incredible success stories come out of this State recently, from the Design Five campaign – a showcase of five Queensland designers that are proving Queensland is a hothouse of design talent – to the crucial role played by Photon VFX Studios on the Gold Coast in the making of the TV-animation series, Animalia,” he said..
“Queensland currently leads the nation in creative industries practice and policy and we’re determined to take full advantage of the vast commercial opportunities available to our creative businesses and people.”
Mr Mickel said the 2007-2008 Program would build upon existing initiatives and also focus on increasing the commercial success of the sector.
“We’ll continue with our highly successful export initiatives, that have resulted in more than $2 million in commercial deals in the USA for Queensland writers and musicians, and continue to develop the business skills of the sector,” he said.
“Next year’s program features an economic-led design strategy in partnership with Arts Queensland. This strategy recognises the importance of design as a key driver of global market success for all businesses, not just those working in the design industry.
“We’ll also be partnering with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCI) at the Queensland University of Technology to quantify and benchmark the creative industries sector.
“At the end of this initiative we will have a database that will contain information on businesses including employment growth, profits, turnover, supply chains, and export sales.
“This is a significant initiative because it addresses the huge need for relevant, reliable, robust data about the sector and will lead to greater commercial and export success for creative businesses.”
Mr Mickel said the launch material featured a series of creative industries case studies that showcased the range and dynamism of Queensland’s creative talent.
“These case studies feature huge architectural companies like HOK Sport, who design fabulous futuristic sporting stadiums, to niche boutique clothing design companies like eeni meeni miini moh and absolutely everything in between,“ Mr Mickel said.
“But what these businesses all have in common is that they’re working smart. ”
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784
20 June, 2007
To capitalise on this surging sector Minister for State Development John Mickel today launched the Queensland Government’s Creative Industries 2007–2008 Program.
Mr Mickel said Queensland’s creative industries were a Smart State priority.
“Queensland’s creative businesses are the fastest growing in the nation and are employing more people than in any other State,” Mr Mickel said.
“Since 2004, employment in our creative industries sector has grown from 28 000 to 67 000, significantly surpassing the national growth rate.
“Today Queensland’s creative industries are worth $3.4 billion annually and generate $1.1 billion in annual exports.”
Mr Mickel said over the past three years the Government had worked closely with the State’s creative industries through its Creativity is Big Business: a Framework for the Future strategy.
“We’ve had some incredible success stories come out of this State recently, from the Design Five campaign – a showcase of five Queensland designers that are proving Queensland is a hothouse of design talent – to the crucial role played by Photon VFX Studios on the Gold Coast in the making of the TV-animation series, Animalia,” he said..
“Queensland currently leads the nation in creative industries practice and policy and we’re determined to take full advantage of the vast commercial opportunities available to our creative businesses and people.”
Mr Mickel said the 2007-2008 Program would build upon existing initiatives and also focus on increasing the commercial success of the sector.
“We’ll continue with our highly successful export initiatives, that have resulted in more than $2 million in commercial deals in the USA for Queensland writers and musicians, and continue to develop the business skills of the sector,” he said.
“Next year’s program features an economic-led design strategy in partnership with Arts Queensland. This strategy recognises the importance of design as a key driver of global market success for all businesses, not just those working in the design industry.
“We’ll also be partnering with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCI) at the Queensland University of Technology to quantify and benchmark the creative industries sector.
“At the end of this initiative we will have a database that will contain information on businesses including employment growth, profits, turnover, supply chains, and export sales.
“This is a significant initiative because it addresses the huge need for relevant, reliable, robust data about the sector and will lead to greater commercial and export success for creative businesses.”
Mr Mickel said the launch material featured a series of creative industries case studies that showcased the range and dynamism of Queensland’s creative talent.
“These case studies feature huge architectural companies like HOK Sport, who design fabulous futuristic sporting stadiums, to niche boutique clothing design companies like eeni meeni miini moh and absolutely everything in between,“ Mr Mickel said.
“But what these businesses all have in common is that they’re working smart. ”
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784
20 June, 2007