The Culture Factory

Creativity and the Production of Culture

“Where are your factories that produce culture? Where are your painters, your composers, your architects, your writers, your filmmakers?” The book opens with Leonardo da Vinci and Qin Shi Huang asking embarrassed contemporary policy makers these questions. The first part of the book is therefore devoted to elaborating a model for producing culture. The model takes into account both the role played by creativity in the production of culture in a technologically advanced knowledge society. The second part of the book examines a selection of strategic sectors: fashion, material culture districts, gastronomy, creative industries, entertainment, contemporary art, museums. Special attention is paid to the role collective intellectual property rights play in increasing the quality of culture-based goods and services. In the conclusion policy makers in both developed and developing countries are urged to adopt policies that can foster creativity and promote culture.