Decent jobs and Economic Growth for Cultural and Creative industries: Living Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Livelihoods

24 May ~ 2 June 2022                       OnlineWorkshop

Background

The Cultural and creative sectors are crucial in their economic footprint and employment. They often drive innovation across the economy as well as contribute to positive social impacts such as education, urban regeneration, and cultural heritage preservation.[1] The sector supports US $2,250 billion to the global economy and accounts for 29.5 million jobs worldwide.[2] In particular, living cultural heritage is a core part of local economies in many developing countries. Traditional craftsmanship, for example, passed on from generations, can be an important source of income for their families and for those involved in transporting craft products or sourcing raw materials. In this sense, the potential of the living cultural heritage to generate alternative income, foster entrepreneurship, and strengthen local economies should be further underscored.[3]

Unfortunately, the economic impact of the Covid-19 on the cultural and creative industries has been widely felt, causing a sharp decline in labour force across the globe. the sector’s jobs at risk range from 0.8 to 5.5% of employment across OECD regions.[4]For museums, galleries and libraries, an average of 64% of jobs are vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19, with those in music, performing and visual arts accounting for 47% at stake.[5]Moreover,the pandemic has posed a threat to sustainability in the employment of living heritage. Disruptions to the practice and transmission of intangible cultural heritage have had considerable consequences for the livelihoods of the practitioners during the pandemic.

The hardship for living heritage is even more challenging towards sustaining employment and preserving the cultural heritage that needs immediate address. Their activities are highly correlated with tourism, social practices ritual and festive events where the practitioners’ performance, craftsmanship, and daily activity require face-to-face engagement. With the breakdown in supply chains, many artisans and traditional craftsmen have difficulty obtaining raw materials. Even The decline in tourism has lessened the demand for craft products in a tourist market. Furthermore, the economic costs of losses for intangible cultural heritage are usually harder to figure out since many practitioners of living heritage operate in the informal sector. This also indicates they face challenges in accessing government financial subsidies, exacerbating their already vulnerable position.[6]

Consequently, safeguarding jobs of living heritage are related to the resilience of rich culture and the diversity of societies. Practical solutions that consider the skill-based substantiality, sustainability and economic activity of living heritage should be structured and implemented. In this regard, the workshop aims to combine the collective mind of experts and stakeholders to guide on how to support artisans and practitioners in the short term that comes both from the public and private sectors and how to leverage economic and social impacts in broader recovery packages for sustainable livelihoods and inclusive societies. [7]

Overview

Event Objectives

 For the capacity building, this event will:

·        Offer a venue for knowledge sharing and to discuss regional status and issues of supporting the labor forces of living cultural heritage and other practitioners in the cultural and creative industries.

·        Provide an opportunity for policymakers and experts to share and exchange their good practices.

Learning Objectives

 After this event, participants will be able to:

·        Raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities for decent jobs of cultural and creative industry and the sustainability of living cultural heritage

·        have the understanding of the ecosystem surrounding employment in cultural and creative industry, and furthermore policies and business strategies for skills’ capacity development and to safeguard the living cultural heritage.

Contents and Structure

The training will be composed of the following sessions:

[Module 1] Decent Jobs in Cultural and Creative Sectors to Rebound after the Crisis

[Module 2] Intangible Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Livelihoods and Inclusive Economic Development

[Module 3] Shaping a Better Employment Landscape: Policy Responses and Innovative Solutions

[Module 4] Screening of a Video in Living Cultural Heritage of Jeju Island

[Module 5] Group Activity: Policy Action Plan Framework

**The sessions are subject to change **

Methodology

The training will be comprised of:

·         Lectures and presentations by experts

·         Group discussion and presentation

Target Audience

This online event is open to government officials and personnel from non-profit, civil and private sectors, including focal points for:

·        Employment policy for the cultural and creative industry, safeguarding of living cultural heritage, sustainability of intangible cultural heritage

This event is also open to representatives from academia, research entities, development agencies and think tanks actively engaged in coordinating and implementing policies in the context of the recovery of the cultural and creative sector.

Application and Deadline

Ÿ   Submit the application form https://forms.gle/x7HYovkVRUvD9Hec8 by 15May 2022.

*Kindly note that only selected applicants will be notified individually.

Certificate

Ÿ  A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to those who have completed three online sessions and fulfilled required tasks for the program

Ÿ  The participants will be awarded a certificate jointly issued by UNITAR and UNITAR CIFAL Jeju

Ÿ  All individuals of the audience should keep their cameras on during the event

Organizer

UNITAR CIFAL Jeju / Jeju International Training Center http://cifaljeju.org/

Inquiries

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (CIFAL)

UNITAR CIFAL Jeju

Ms. Sungeun Ann

Program Officer

Tel: 82)064-735-6573

Email: seann.jitc@cifaljeju.org

Program

*The above program is subject to change.

[1]OECD, Culture shock: COVID-19 and the cultural and creative sectors, OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19), 7 September 2020

[2]UNESCO, Living heritage in the face of COVID-19, 2021

[3] Ibid

[4]OECD, Culture shock: COVID-19 and the cultural and creative sectors, OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19), 7 September 2020

[5]UNESCO, Living heritage in the face of COVID-19, 2021

*This research consisted of 33% of practitioners of living heritage, 19% national authorities, 12% cultural centers, 11% NGO, 4% personnel from the museum.

[6]UNESCO, Living heritage in the face of COVID-19, 2021

[7]COVID-19 and the cultural and creative sectors, OECD

Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19), 7 September 2020