Introducing the Global Creative Economy Council by Hasan Bakhshi and Rehana Mughal
The Global Creative Economy Council (GCEC) is an international initiative aimed at fostering cooperation and strategic development within the creative economy sector. The council, jointly initiated by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (Creative PEC) and the British Council, brings together diverse expert perspectives from around the world to reflect on emerging trends and develop ideas for transnational policies.
At the helm of the GCEC is Marta Foresti, the Chair and CEO of LAGO Collective, who underscores the importance of international cooperation as a core priority. The council seeks to create value beyond culture by connecting policymakers, industry leaders, and educational institutions to strengthen the global creative economy ecosystem.
The GCEC will convene discussions that inspire action, bringing together members, creative entrepreneurs, government officials, and researchers. The aim is to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by creative economies globally and to formulate transnational policies to address them. The council will also share insights and policy ideas through a dedicated blog series on Creative PEC's website.
Among the esteemed members of the GCEC are Sara Pepper, Co-Director of the Centre for the Creative Economy at Cardiff University, and Professor Hasan Bakhshi MBE, Director of Creative PEC and Professor of Economics of the Creative Industries. Other members include Avril Joffe, UNESCO Chair in Cultural Entrepreneurship and Policy, and Andrea Dempster Chung, co-founder and executive director of Kingston Creative, an NGO based in Jamaica.
The GCEC will use its combined networks to better understand various aspects of the creative economy, such as its contribution to social and environmental sustainability, the survival and prosperity of creative workers in informal economies, and policy lessons that should be learned and acted upon through multilateral action. The council also aims to engender and help bring about a more inclusive and informed approach at the global level to policymaking in the creative economy.
The GCEC will conduct occasional targeted research activities that address the Creative PEC's and the British Council's international priorities. These priorities include promoting innovation and entrepreneurship within creative sectors, facilitating policies and frameworks supporting intellectual property rights, enhancing inclusivity and equity in creative economy development across global regions, and encouraging strategic partnerships and knowledge exchange internationally.
In addition to the aforementioned members, the GCEC includes notable figures such as Daniar Amanaliev, Chair of Kyrgyzstan's Creative Industries Park Board, Kelly Wilhelm, Head of the Cultural Policy Hub at OCAD University, and Wakiuru Njuguna, Managing Partner, HEVA Fund. The council also includes Octavio Kulesz, a philosopher, digital publisher, and director of Teseo, Dwinita Larasati, a lecturer and researcher at Industrial Design Program, FSRD ITB, Indonesia, and Pearl Wang Haoqing, Associate Professor and Director, Center for Global Cooperation and Education Development, USC-SJTU.
Lastly, the council includes Anupam Yog, a creative strategist, and Omar Nagati, an architect, urban planner, and co-founder of CLUSTER. The GCEC's focus clearly aligns with advancing the global creative economy through research, policy, and collaboration. For the most current and detailed mandates or policy documents from the GCEC, it is recommended to review official publications or contact Creative PEC or affiliated organizations directly.
- The Global Creative Economy Council (GCEC), under the leadership of Marta Foresti, is committed to developing transnational policies that strengthen the global creative economy ecosystem.
- The council connects policymakers, industry leaders, and educational institutions to better understand the challenges and opportunities in creative economies worldwide.
- Sara Pepper and Professor Hasan Bakhshi MBE, among other esteemed members, will contribute to the GCEC's aims, including promoting innovation, intellectual property rights, and inclusivity.
- Research activities conducted by the GCEC will focus on topics such as the creative economy's contribution to sustainability, creative workers in informal economies, and successful policy strategies for international cooperation.
- The GCEC's members include figures from various countries, such as Avril Joffe, Andrea Dempster Chung, Daniar Amanaliev, and Omar Nagati, all contributing unique perspectives to the council's initiatives.
- The council aims to foster a more informed and inclusive approach to policymaking in the creative economy, sharing insights and policy ideas through a dedicated blog series on Creative PEC's website, and through multilateral action.
