Creative Cities Network now links 408 cities that treat creativity as a development tool

Background

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in 2004. It builds cooperation among cities which treat creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The 408 cities in the Network share one objective: to put creativity and the cultural industries at the centre of what they plan locally, while working together across borders. UNESCO calls the Network a space for collaboration and experimentation to invent the city of tomorrow. The Network supports the Sustainable Development Goals, notably SDG 11, which seeks to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. UNESCO records that cultural and creative industries account for 13% of employment in major cities worldwide, and that member cities have submitted almost 500 reports over the years.