Creative Industries Infrastructure

The creative industries are made up of many different types of forms of activities that specialise in artistic expression and have the potential to generate revenue or jobs through the creation and exploitation of intellectual property. These activities include music, film, games, arts, crafts, radio and others, which make up the eleven, currently recognised sectors of the creative industries.

The four elements of creative industries are Creativity, Intellectual Property, Commercialisation and Goods and Services. Creativity is essentially where the process begins. An idea is developed into a raw product, for example, an individual or group writing a song. The term "Intellectual property" refers to a creative product such as a song, book or film, in which the recognized creator can give the owner exclusive rights to many intangible assets. The more common types of intellectual properties include copyrights, patents and trademarks. Commercialisation is the process of producing, manufacturing, distributing, marketing, promotion and finally, the preparation of the product for retail sale. Goods and Services refers to the last stage of the process in which the product is available to the public. Each individual process plays a key role in the overall task of having the product available to the consumer.

There is revenue to be made at each step of the process by professionals who work in each field, for example, during the actual recording of the song, a recording studio, a producer, recording engineers and sessions musicians (should they be required), will all have to be hired. Another example would be if an artist tours, many industry professionals will be hired such as instrument technicians, sound engineers, drivers, managers and caterers. The music industry is filled with a vast amount of different business which each fulfil different roles and demands, each generating their own income from product exploitation. From something as a simple as a guitar pick manufacturer, to a global record company, each playing an important role not only to the consumer but as employment opportunities.

Each business falls into one of three different types of business structures for trading. These are named, Sole Trader, Partnership and Limited Company. Work in fields such as being a session musician, a freelance producer or engineer, would fall under the Sole Trader title. A sole trader can have the benefits of being in direct contact