Stuart Cunningham: From creative industries to creative economies, and beyond

• Published in: Media international Australia incorporating Culture & policy Vol. 182; no. 1; pp. 7 - 12
• Main Author: Gillies, Malcolm GW
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nathan, Qld University of Queensland, School of Journalism and Communication 01.02.2022; SAGE Publications; University of Queensland, School of English, Media Studies & Art History
• Subjects: Advocacy; Art and science; Creative industries; Cultural industries; Humanities; Leadership; Social sciences; Australia; Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia; Arts and Social Sciences; Creative industries; Australian Academy of the Humanities; advocacy; a new approach; creative economies; London; Council for the Humanities; Australia; policy
• ISSN: 1329-878X; 2200-467X
• DOI: 10.1177/1329878X211043893

This paper explores Stuart Cunningham's thought leadership in 'creative' spaces since the turn of the millennium. It presents the author’s personal glimpses of Cunningham's contributions to scholarship and advocacy, ranging from Cunningham and Hartley's expose on the recently-titled creative industries at the National Humanities and Social Sciences Summit (Canberra, 2001), through the establishment of QUT's Centre of Excellence (Brisbane, 2005) and its European node (London, 2008), to Cunningham's more recent work with creative economies and their opportunities, including his influence upon 'Australia's Cultural and Creative Economy: A 21st- Century Guide' (Canberra, 2020). The paper concludes with some comments about continuing resistance to substantial investment in Australia's creative industries, and Cunningham's call for a more united voice in their advocacy.