Cities, clusters and creative industries: The case of film and television in Scotland

Interest in the creative industries has burgeoned in recent years. They convey many positive images for the development of cities and regions in an increasingly market-driven, globalized economy. The cluster concept has had an important influence on thinking and policy towards the creative industries. The purpose of this article is to examine the extent to which these ideas help to explain a particular situation. It analyses the various forces affecting the performance of the film and television industries in Scotland. It concludes that these sectors have a more modest economic impact than commonly assumed and that national and transnational organizations and government regulation are more important than localized networks in influencing their scale and durability.