Curators of Cultural Enterprise

This study is based on the authors' fieldwork inside Cultural Enterprise Office, a small Scottish agency that supports creative businesses. It discusses UK policy on the creative economy, the rise of intermediaries between policy-making and the marketplace, and the playing out in the delivery of business advice services to creative microbusinesses.

"A fascinating, original and timely book. With a close-up account of a key cultural organisation in Scotland, it provides insight into issues of great importance to the cultural policy world and for those involved in wider debates on the creative economy." - Angela McRobbie, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK

"The creative economy is a global policy buzzword. Critiques are legion, but detailed critical examinations of how policy operates are rare. The book intelligently illuminates the contradictions and conflicts of the idea, retaining a sympathetic eye for cultural producers and intermediaries. A rigorous but readable account of how policy works." - Kate Oakley, University of Leeds, UK

"This book comes at exactly the right time. As the celebratory account of the creative industries fades into a nostalgia for a previous age it is crucial that we do not ignore the important cultural political gains accrued over two decades of work in this area. Operating close to the ground, in constant and complex articulation with those working in the cultural economy, as well as numerous policy apparatuses, agencies such as Glasgow's Cultural Enterprise Office have accumulated knowledge and experience that can give vital pointers to others across the globe seeking to develop a new, progressive agenda around cultural economy. This book is a rigorous, engaged and far-sighted attempt to present this experience and knowledge in a way that can be useful for academics, policy agencies and activists." - Justin O'Connor, Monash University, Australia

Autorentext
Philip Schlesinger is Professor in Cultural Policy at the Centre for Cultural Policy Research, University of Glasgow, UK, and is researching Europe's cultural crisis.

Melanie Selfe is Lecturer in Cultural Policy at the Centre for Cultural Policy Research, University of Glasgow, UK, and is researching audience development policy.

Ealasaid Munro is Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Centre for Cultural Policy Research, University of Glasgow, UK, and is researching rural creative industries.

Inhalt

1. Researching Cultural Enterprise Office
2. Nation, state and creative economy
3. Origins and development of CEO
4. Organisational values and practices of support
5. Future-proofing CEO?
6. Where next for cultural business support?