Disorganised creativity : the challenge for British cultural policy for the creative industries

British cultural policy for the creative industries has become disengaged from the organisational structure and culture of small creative businesses. At one end of the supply chain, a flexible chain economy of small businesses invests in the risky business of cultural production, while at the other end a handful of multinational, multi-media corporations concentrates on the acquisition, distribution and exploitation of intellectual property rights and aims for maximum profit. Still, the major distributors rely to some extent on the independent producers to identify new markets and new ideas. There is a need for localised, autonomous cultural distribution networks.