Too-explicit cultural policy: Rethinking cultural and creative industry policies in Hong Kong

This chapter presents a study of the articulation and implementation of Hong Kong’s cultural and creative industries policies. Since the 1990s, the development of Hong Kong’s economy has been dictated by the goal of becoming an international financial hub. The government claimed that it would take a laissez-faire approach and uphold a capitalistic free market. In recent years, various governments and academic institutes have grown increasingly concerned about the development of creative industries. This was mainly attributable to the decline of traditional economic industries, while the economic value of “culture and creativity” gained recognition - giving rise to the idea that symbolic value is more profitable than physical value. In Hong Kong, cultural and creative industry policies are mainly industry policies, and the implementation of such policies leans towards production and industry structure. It is generally agreed that the concept of “creative industry” began to have an impact on government policy and academic research after 1997.