International Conference on IP and the Creative Industries

(Geneva, October 29 and 30, 2007)

The creative process, whether emanating from the subconscious, modeled on the past, or as an inspired act, evolves from culturally specific traditions. In order to nurture and manage creativity, creators and creative enterprises –those engaged in the commercial exploitation of Intellectual Property-based works, i.e., books, film, and music– must count on a balanced Intellectual Property (IP) system. The protection, distribution and dissemination of these creative expressions have contributed to the expansion of markets dedicated to the creative industries.

The World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) International Conference on Intellectual Property and the Creative Industries is being organized to provide a forum for discussion on the concept and application of creativity in the creative industries, with a clear focus on the IP rights component in them. In addition to offering practical insights on the use and protection of the IP system, the Conference will seek to contribute constructively to the ongoing debate on themes devoted to:

1. The Concept and Origins of Creativity
2. Creativity and IP in Support of Development
3. Measuring the Creative Industries
4. Creative Industries in the Digital Environment
5. The Business of Creativity: Innovative Business Models in the Creative Industries

The Conference will begin with a High Level Segment where Ministers with responsibility for culture and IP, will be invited to speak on Creativity in Diverse Cultures. Key speakers/leading experts in the field will present and analyze creativity and its processes, its significance for economic and cultural development, and discuss strategies to stimulate and promote creative activities in their different contexts.

The Conference is open to the public and will bring together Member States representatives, cultural and IP-related policy makers; academia; individual creators; creative industries representatives, industry associations, lawyers, developers of digital technology, students, etc., who recognize the value of IP in advancing their unique creativity.

The Conference will be held at WIPO, Geneva, Switzerland, on October 29 and 30, 2007.