The Idea of the creative society and the development of creative industries

The article surveys the recent research on the idea of the creative society and the development of creative industries. Special attention is paid to the conceptual and factual developments that take place in regions of Central and Eastern Europe. Researchers evaluate the regions’ situation in the context of global developments, suggest novel approaches to society and research practice and provide their recommendations. The relation between individual and communal aspects of creation emerges as a major problem. The tendency is to move from individualistic and elitist strategies of creation toward market-based practices and communal approaches based on the concepts of creative environment and networks of creation. Authors recommend that heads of institutions and researchers give up the overly romantic attitude toward creative activity, transcend the limits of individual perspective and move towards a cooperation among different fields of creativity