Strategy for the Development of the Creative Industries
As this issue is considered to be of relevance across a large number of areas, the strategy was developed through inter-ministerial cooperation involving the following ministries: the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development of the Slovak Republic, the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic. The strategy was adopted by Government Resolution No 32/2015 of 21/01/2015 and establishes the following priorities:
- Priority 1 An efficient system for the development of the creative industries,
- Priority 2 High-quality human resources,
- Priority 3 Increasing the market’s absorption capacity
- Priority 4 Supporting instruments for financing
Action plan for implementation of the strategy for the development of the creative industries in the Slovak Republic
The Action plan for the implementation of the strategy for the development of the creative industries in the Slovak Republic, which sets out the implementation plan for existing and new measures under each priority, was adopted on 15 December 2015. Financing for programmes supporting the development of CCIs in the Slovak Republic is designed to provide complementary support for the creative economy value chain. Support for creative production is provided primarily by the Art Support Fund (established in 2015) and the Audio-visual Fund (established in 2009), which operate on the arm’s length principle, supplemented by the Ministry’s grant system, which is oriented towards support for cultural heritage and support for the culture of disadvantaged groups. New financing measures include:
- Priority 1 An efficient system for the development of the creative industries,
- Priority 2 High-quality human resources,
- Priority 3 Increasing the market’s absorption capacity
- Priority 4 Supporting instruments for financing
Mobilisation of creative potential in regions
Priority Axis 3 (PA 3) is under the competence of the Ministry of Culture and operates in synergy with the OP Research and Innovation (OP R&I) The aim of Priority Axis 3 is to support:
- Business growth,
- Infrastructure development,
- Access to tangible and intangible assets for creative SMEs,
- Monetization of intellectual properties with a view to increasing employment in the CCIs,
Increased competitiveness and growth of SMEs,
Development of the competitiveness of SMEs in the Bratislava Region
Operational Programme Research and Innovation
Two relevant priority axes of the OP R&I fall under the competence of the Ministry of Economy. These include measures designed to support:
- Internationalization,
- Cluster initiatives,
- Increasing awareness of CCIs
- SMEs in areas where new business models are emerging.
The division of competences in these two programmes financed from the ERDF is based on the definition framework for the CCIs used by the European Commission, which was published in “The Economy of Culture in Europe” in 2006 (KEA). This divides the area as a whole into the cultural sector and the creative sector. The cultural sector includes the traditional arts (the visual and dramatic arts, cultural heritage) and the cultural industries (film, audio-visual media, television and radio broadcasting, computer games, music, publishing), which fall under the competence of PA 3 of the IROP. The creative sector includes creative industries (design, architecture and advertising) and related areas (such as software development), which fall partly under PA 3 and also under OP R&I.
In 2012, the AVF provided a total of EUR 5,519,888 in support and it received a contribution of EUR 3,500,000 from the state budget. In 2013, the AVF paid out a total of EUR 6,404,290 in support and it received a contribution of EUR 4,200,000 from the state budget. In 2014, the AVF provided a total of EUR 6,458,060 in support and it received a contribution of EUR 4,000,000 from the state budget. In 2015, the AVF paid out a total of EUR 6,542,900 in support and it received a contribution of EUR 4,500,000 from the state budget.
After five years of the AVF’s support activities, it is possible to conclude that the objectives referred to in point (b)(I) have been fulfilled. The AVF operates as a stable and respected public institution. The continuous support activities of the AVF have brought about a demonstrable increase in the basic performance indicators of Slovak audio-visual culture and industries in the international context. In terms of the number of films per million inhabitants, Slovakia achieved an increase of 125% between 2010 and 2014, and public funds for audio-visual culture per capita increased by 45.6% over the same period.
Evaluation of the measure is conducted every year in the form of the AVF’s annual report. The director presents the draft report to the board of the AVF for approval. The report includes a report on the fulfilment of the AVF’s strategic goals and development plans in the period covered. The annual report for 2014 included a comprehensive review of the AVF’s activities after five years of operation. The main conclusions of the evaluation were as follows:
- The volume of public funds available each year to support audio-visual culture increased by 80%,
- Available funds were stabilized,
- The AVF standardized the structure of sources in the European context,
- It expanded the forms and scope of support activities to various areas of audio-visual culture and industries (stipends, loans, support for cinemas, support for audio-visual industries),
- The AVF has created more flexible conditions for the efficient use of the provided funds, which has significantly reduced the risk of uncompleted projects in production.
- It has broadened the range of genres of films made and the variety of topics which they address,
- The AVF has created conditions for greater competitiveness (a demonstrable increase in the number of production companies and the number of supported applicants),