Accessing markets in creative industries—professionalization and social-spatial strategies of culturepreneurs in Berlin

Abstract

The article addresses a major problem of understanding the market dynamics of so-called ‘creative industries’: how can we understand the constitution of young, newly emerged markets of creative industries? The central question deals with a substantial problem currently facing entrepreneurship and creative industries: how do young start-up entrepreneurs overcome structural paradoxes between individual professionalization and competitiveness on the one hand, and improving their entrepreneurial performances by depending on a badly needed innovation climate provided in social contexts and professional scenes on the other hand? In the following, social interactions and spatial practices of young entrepreneurial agents, so called ‘culturepreneurs’ will be conceptually and empirically presented. Networking activities they use to form professional scenes in the field of design production in Berlin's cultural industries provide insights into strategies for accessing markets.For the purposes of this paper, ‘scenes’ will be conceptually understood as a necessary prerequisite for creative milieu formations. They are considered as informal, communicatively established social constructions and are based on local narratives as well as entrepreneurial self-descriptions. Infused with local myths and everyday life stories, they serve as atmospheric stimulation for many people endeavouring to feel connected to a specific urban place — in this case Berlin — where they can launch their own entrepreneurial project. Within this context, it is possible to understand specific modes of entrepreneurial practices and the ways in which new market structures are formed in Berlin's creative industries.

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