Cultural and creative industries: genealogy and outlook.

'Cultural industries', 'creative industries, 'creative economy', 'experience industries', 'content industries', 'entertainment industries', copyright industries', '(multi) media industries', ... The conceptual apparatus in use since the end of the 20th century to describe the evolutions within the industries that produce symbolic content, illustrates the growing centrality of these industries both within academic and policy contexts. Together with the explosion of concepts, one can speak of a hype, 'hysteria' and even a mythologization. Especially among policymakers, the creative or cultural industries are said to be crucial in answering the declining economic position of Europe. Creativity is central 'speerpunt' of the European Lisbon strategy.

To which cultural and industrial sectors are referred to, and how to support these exactly through what policy measures, is yet not always specified in this recent discourse. The epistemological haziness and mythologization of the conceptual apparatus, in which 'cultural industries' and 'creative industries' are even intertwined, prevent thus a clear understanding of the complexity of the cultural and creative industries, yet crucial to academic research and policy making. This paper aims to contribute to clarifying the concept of the cultural and creative industries within an international context. This paper will offer a historical overwiew of the international discourse on cultural and creative industries, based on both academic and policy literature. Firstly, the economic, political, cultural and social context in which the cultural and creative industries have been developing since 1945 will be examined. Secondly, the evolution of terminology since mid 20th century in both academic and policy literature will be outlined. Thirdly, the features and categories specific to the cultural industries will be investigated, which will lead to a conceptual design of the cultural industries.