Applying Project Management to the Cultural and Creative Industries: A tool for developing Countries

Ian W. Walcott

VP for Education, Bridgetown Chapter of the Project Management

Institute

What are Cultural & Creative Industries?

• Artists or businesses that generate their Artists or businesses that generate their primary source of income and or primary source of income and or economic value from their cultural and/or economic value from their cultural and/or creative knowledgecreative knowledge

The Cultural & Creative Industries

• Who are they really?– TV & Media– Fine Arts– Visual Arts – Performing Arts– Film– Music– The Festival Industry– Some definitions

include fashion and design

Kadooment in Barbados

Management Challenges of the Cultural and Creative Industries

1. Developmental thrust: Building infrastructure

2. Industry segmentation & issues of centralization vs. decentralization

3. Private and public sector coordination

4. Artist as manager5. Policy development6. Managing projects

Le Groove – Barbadian Alternative Rock Band

Who will foot the bill?

• The donor countries also exploiting their own cultural industry – limited financing

• There is still a dependency relationship

• Who pays for the technology?

What are the solutions?

• Do not reinvent the wheel – Enable creativity– Enhance Cooperation– Build on existing

infrastructure– Managing Time &

Information– Work on the elements we

can control first

The developmental thrust: Building the infrastructure

Community

Education

Enterprise Dev. Employment Export

Support base: Policy, Private & public sector partnerships & projects

Overarching framework requirements: Vision, Strategy, Planning

The developmental thrust: Building the infrastructure

• The existing infrastructure– Applying technology at every level: – enabling e-

business and Internet technologies• e.g. Add a technology dimension to ART – Examine the

Australian Model http://www.anat.org.au/

– Degree programs needed urgentlyModernizing existing venues – no need for new

facilities• School facilities sponsored by companies

• Open air theatres and other open spaces

What will international competitions bring to the local cultural industry?

INT’L

COMPETITION

INT’L

COMPETITION

INCREASED

TOURISM

INCREASED

TOURISM

ENHANCED

REPUTATION

ENHANCED

REPUTATION

IMPROVED

PROJECT

MGMT

IMPROVED

PROJECT

MGMT

+ VISIBILITY

FOR

LOCALS

+ VISIBILITY

FOR

LOCALS

BETTER

STANDARDS

BETTER

STANDARDS

INCREASED

EXPOSURE

INCREASED

EXPOSURE

Bridging the gaps - Building the infrastructure model

Grant seekers

Services offered

NCF asNCF asIntermediaryIntermediary

CoordinationCentral Planning

Project Mgmt Policy Dev.

Locating GrantsFacilitator

National HostIntellect

Business Artists

Private sector

Support needs

Donors

Markets

Public sector

Demand Enabler Supply

Government’s Leadership Role

• Tax write offs • Duty free imports for inputs• VAT exemption for all cultural events • Special bond issues to support the industries• Invite international creative enterprises studios to set

up with added incentives • Incentives for MNCs who provide scholarship funds • Goal-oriented programmes with five year targets

Government’s Leadership Role

• Planning for cultural economy of new city centres

• Urban planning must integrate the cultural economy

How will the model work?

• Project Management is the answer– Suggested Project Approaches

• Logical Framework Approach for Program Planning

• Project Approach and Standardized Methods for Project Financing and Grants

• Application of Project Management to all sectors of the cultural industries (National Events)

• A centralized Cultural Project Management Office (CPMO)

Contact Information

Contact Information:Ian W. Walcott

Email: ian.walcott@gmail.com