Cities are increasingly playing a vital role in harnessing creativity for economic and social development:

• Cities harbor the entire range of cultural actors throughout the creative industry chain, from the creative act to production and distribution.
• As breeding grounds for creative clusters, cities have great potential to harness creativity, and connecting cities can mobilize this potential for global impact.
• Cities have a strong effect on the establishment of public/private partnership that helps unlock the creative entrepreneurial potential and plays an important role in the new economy.
• Cities are small enough to affect local cultural industries but also large enough to serve as gateways to international markets.

Nowadays more than half of the world population lives in cities. The concept of ‘Creative Cities’ is based on the belief that culture can play an important role in urban renewal. Policy makers are increasingly taking account of the role of creativity when planning economic policy. As creative industries contribute to a city’s social fabric, cultural diversity and enhance the quality of life, it also strengthens a sense of community and helps define a shared identity.