Nuqat issues survey report on powering creative economy
Most surveyed students see themselves as future entrepreneurs
KUWAIT CITY, April 17: In their continuing efforts to raise mass awareness on powering the creative economy and driving its principles across the region, Nuqat – Kuwait’s fast-growing foremost organization for cultural development, collaborated with Kuwait National Fund for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Development and the World Bank Group to construct and issue an extensive report which encompasses the findings and analyzed conclusions acquired during the set of surveys that were completed during Nuqat’s 2016 conference. The collaboration was part of a broader World Bank Group engagement with the Kuwait National Fund for SME Development, focusing on institutional development and implementation support, taking a holistic approach in supporting the development of a SME ecosystem in the country.
In a word from Wakim Zeidan, General Director of Nuqat, said: “We would like to extend our utmost gratitude and appreciation to both the World Bank Group and the Kuwait National Fund for SME Development for collaborating with us to develop this report, through which we were able to measure the impact of Nuqat’s conferences, and have a better understanding of the attendees’ characteristics, expectations and ideas regarding support for creative enterprises and skills in Kuwait.
The analysis of the surveys is intended to help us focus our future offerings, and to better direct these offerings to certain ages or occupations, for example, survey respondents mentioned that future conferences could add a ‘space to present new ideas’, and similarly add a workshop on ‘accessing markets’ for creative businesses. They would also like to attend training on financial, product and business plan development, and another on how to select and recruit creatives for their businesses”.
“Most surveyed students saw themselves as future creative entrepreneurs, while surveyed employees foresaw their professional activities in the creative industries as a second job. Business owners and freelancers however expressed the view that they would like the government of Kuwait’s support in raising greater awareness on the added value of the creative industry, and its role in the development of traditional sectors such as tourism, manufacturing, handicrafts, design-based services and so on. Further support should also go to fostering design and craftsmanship, establishing fabtations rication labs and co-working spaces, and providing grants and national funding along with promoting cooperation with the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs” added Wakim.
Global Lead for Creative Industry, and Private Sector Specialist for the World Bank –Johanna Michaela Weber, stated: “1431 registered participants completed the surveys. 85% were under the age of 35 and came from different professions (students, employees, free lancers, and business owners). According to the results of the survey; most participants expected to familiarize themselves with the principles of creative industries through Nuqat’s conference, but their scope of knowledge after the conference exceeded their expec- as they managed to identify the different tools for conceptual design, project management and methodologies of knowledge research. They also got to know the means to communicate with professionals in the field, in addition to finding the joint workspaces and exhibits in Kuwait, such as the Creative Industries Incubator of the National Fund for the SME Development”.
Commenting further on the negative trends and constraints affecting creative businesses’ growth and profitability; Knowledge Director of Nuqat, Hussa Al-Humaidhi, said: “The survey reports showed that most firms identified a lack of copyright laws, counterfeiters and the fact that the creative industry was considered by some as a low prestige industry.
Other factors included the cumbersome and bureaucratic procedures, the lack of marketing, the lack of effective execution and management, and the shortage in well-trained creatives, plus the poor networking amongst creatives, and the lack of international connections.
On the plus side however, concerning positive trends and opportunities, firms saw that a variety of tools can be beneficial to the development of the creative industry, including the use of e-commerce and social media, as well as creative week-ends, start-up week-ends and events.
When an open-ended question was posed as to what would help them make the creative industry job number one; Hussa reiterated that the surveyed employees mentioned, among many other items, the access to fully utilized work spaces and funding, the means and opportunities to learn from experienced creative entrepreneurs and benefit from their expertise. They also pressed on the need for soft skills training, a guaranteed minimum income, and promote the awareness and acceptance of the creative industry to be incorporated in all online government administrative services.
The survey report can be accessed and viewed on Nuqat’s website www.nuqat.me/en/whatwedo. It comes as part of their research program of collecting data and leaders’ opinions in the Middle East &North Africa through exploration sessions, surveys & cultural tourism programs, aiming to analyze and compile that data and feedback and formulate it into a vision that can start dialogues and government initiatives to create a more progressive future in the region - free from oil dependency and stagnant thinking.