At least once in a lifetime, the average person will probably dream of being the next JK Rowling, the next Madonna or the next Robert De Niro. For the vast majority of us it it will just remain a dream but for some lucky few it might mean a few millions in the bank and their name up in lights.

The bad news is that, in order to get your name in lights, you have to be a combination of really good and really lucky. But the good news is that there are many, many different opportunities in the creative industry and chances are that, with the right steps, one of those opportunities could be yours: the wonderful thing about creativity is that it comes in many shapes and forms; whether you are a singer, a painter, a writer, or even a dancer, you have a chance to train and improve and show your art form to the world.

So, if you have come this far, it probably means two things: you feel that you have the gift of creativity AND you want to put it to good use, but you are not really sure where to start from.

WHAT ARE CULTURAL INDUSTRIES

Let us take a step back and look at what are cultural industries. Broadly speaking, they involve any creative or entertainment industry, including those which products are subject to copyright. Film companies, publishing houses and the music industry have traditionally been the core of cultural industries, but things are changing: media and advertising, crafts, design, even architecture are now considered part of this ever growing family of potential employers.

WHY WORK IN THE CULTURAL MARKET

According to a recent article published by the London School of Economics and Political Science website, cultural industries are “London’s second most important industrial sector after financial services” and “the number one contributor to export earnings in the US” . That is no mean feat, but it is also true that cultural industries (some more than others) tend to make and spend a lot of money.

To make an impact you do not have to necessarily move to London or to the US, for creative industries are spreading more and more beyond the confines of the world’s biggest cities. It is however true that you might have to consider a relocation for the right job, and the right job might open many new and exciting doors.