As we emerge from the global financial crisis – slowly for some, rapidly for others - we are entering a new, exciting period for the creative economy. All indicators point to growth in the creative industries, and we are getting much better at understanding and therefore valuing the wider impacts of a strong creative industries sector underpinned and infused by excellence and distinctiveness across the arts and cultural sectors. It is clear that for many countries, the ‘creative economy’ will play a central role in delivering the next phase of growth, increasing prosperity (indeed, it is also an outcome of increased prosperity), and enabling a greater diversity of cultural expressions to reach new audiences and markets and thus for people to make a living from their creativity.