Cultural and creative industries as partners of the regions

In many cities and rural districts in Bavaria, structural change and globalization of the economic systems are leading to rural exodus and vacancies. For some industries, however, the special location factors of Bavaria's rural areas can offer interesting alternatives to living and working in the metropolises. The cultural and creative industries are particularly worthy of mention here. For the traditional economy, the new creative impulses often create enormous competitive advantages.

While the population in Germany has been declining continuously for years due to demographic change, Bavaria is experiencing steady population growth. However, because jobs and urban lifestyles are drawing young people to the big cities first and foremost, this trend does not apply to Bavaria's peripheral rural areas. There, as in the rest of Germany, there is significant migration, which is often accompanied by an erosion of cultural and social life and public infrastructure.

In this context, the classic location factor of "space and real estate" can become a key location advantage in rural regions - not least for the highly innovative cultural and creative industries. Many authors, designers, musicians or artists can work independently of location and respond flexibly to spatial infrastructures.

For many cultural and creative professionals, a good work-life balance plays a key role in their choice of location. Away from the conurbations, creative companies in Bavaria find inexpensive commercial space, an attractive natural environment and good opportunities to live close to the workplace. In the countryside, the progressive blending of private and professional networks can often be organized more conflict-free. Prerequisites are, of course, a well-developed infrastructure, such as the connection to the train station or airport, efficient offers for families and, above all, a fast data highway.

Cultural and creative industries: stimulus for all sectors

With its eleven submarkets, the cultural and creative industries are among the largest sectors in Bavaria in terms of sales and employment figures - and this despite the fact that the vast majority of creative companies employ fewer than nine people. As a rule, the establishment and further development of cultural and creative enterprises do not require major investments, which predestines them for start-ups in rural regions. This is also favored by the structural smallness and the high mobility of the industry.

However, creative utilization concepts not only offer interesting working and living spaces for the economic, social and educational infrastructure of a region. According to the EU Expert Working Group on Cultural and Creative Industries, cultural and creative industries that are closely linked to society and the economy lead to positive effects in the areas of innovation and production, tourism and branding, education and lifelong learning, regional development, social innovation, well-being and environmental sustainability.