Choose a new palette for India’s creative economy
Introduction:
- Digital media and technology have opened up a wider audience for Indian artists and artisans. However, they address concerns like economic viability, market access, digital divide, preservation, and crime in the art world.
The creative economy:
- The creative economy, one of the newest and fastest-growing economic sectors, faces unique challenges that both public and private investors regularly ignore.
- Its economic importance is becoming increasingly recognised as the arts sector contributes to employment generation, economic growth, tourism, exports, and general society development.
- In order to address contemporary issues in multicultural society, the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2022) was convened. This was done in acknowledgement of the economic importance of culture.
- It sought to share a vision for the future of cultural policies and to reaffirm the international community’s commitment to exploiting culture’s capacity for transformation for sustainable development.
Current status of artists:
- Through internet platforms, social media, and the development of digital content, artists, writers, filmmakers, singers, and other creatives can reach audiences and earn money.
- Despite playing a critical role in upholding traditional art forms and creating contemporary artworks, Indian artists and craftspeople face challenges related to economic sustainability, market access, and the preservation of traditional art forms in a rapidly changing culture.
- Artists have access to financing, educational opportunities, and exhibition opportunities thanks to government backing, cultural bodies, and programming.
- However, more work needs to be put into ensuring equal representation and financial assistance as well as marketing contemporary artists as brands.
Issue, Consequences, and Resolution:
- It is challenging to select artists who will receive financial support for organising cultural events.
- The lack of transparency in the selection process is what leads to inequality in representation.
- There is no regular or rotating structure in place to give this support, therefore the selection process is frequently haphazard or dependent on subjective reasons.
- Furthermore, neither private nor public entities in this country, in contrast to other countries, make any deliberate efforts to sell contemporary artists as brands.
- Crimes perpetrated in the art field include copyright breaches, forgeries, fraud, and unlawful trafficking. To combat these crimes, more security measures, international cooperation, public awareness campaigns, and cutting-edge authentication and monitoring technology are all required.
- There is no institutional infrastructure, body of knowledge, or technology available to verify the authenticity of the artwork. The difference leads to unfair treatment of true artists.
- These offences weaken public confidence, destroy enterprises, and harm cultural heritage.
- Exploitation of Indian artists, the maintenance of undeclared wealth through artworks, and the dissemination of erroneous information about cultural history through various media all serve to exacerbate the issue.
- Solutions include heightened security measures, global cooperation, public awareness initiatives, and cutting-edge authentication technologies.
- Routine audits of acquired works of art help preserve a collection’s integrity and strengthen trust.
Possible response:
- A collaborative model for the cultural economy is a suitable solution to the problems the creative economy faces and to increase culture’s economic contribution.
- Supporting India’s soft power by establishing a hub for capacity-building is one strategy to boost economic growth.
- The requirements of artists must be satisfied through education, professional development, market access, and membership in larger groups and networks.
- A facilitation hub would promote knowledge sharing, economic liberation, and environmentally friendly ways of life for artists and artisans.
- Data analytics should be used to foster creative ecologies that contribute to the development of a sustainable planet.
- The government and private stakeholders may help eliminate industry gaps, empower artists, and contribute to the overall growth of the creative economy by offering support, resources, and opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Moving forward:
- Through participative approaches and the use of the most cutting-edge ICT tools, the centre should act as a platform for supplying artists and artisans with sustainable means of subsistence and enhancing their participation in the commercial environment.
- It is also time for new data that sheds light on global trends and for the formation of policy recommendations to assist cutting-edge ecologies that help ensure a sustainable future.
