| |
The Waikato region, and Hamilton in particular, is host to a significant concentration of creative industries activity, that currently receives very little attention in the region's public profile, and the regional awareness of the creative industries is only beginning to emerge.
Most of the creative businesses in the region are owner-operated and gain clients through word of mouth. A number of unofficial links have developed and there is a desire to capitalise on this. This website is designed to formalise these links and act as a gateway to information on the various creative industries sectors in the Waikato region. In the descriptions of the industry sectors you will find an overview (including details on major businesses) and a business list. If you wish to add your business or correct information on the listings, please send an email to creativeindustries@wintec.ac.nz
Hamilton functions as a "satellite city" to Auckland (by far the largest city in New Zealand, whose outskirts are only an hour's drive away) and many local businesses rely on their Auckland links. The highest concentration of these industries is in Hamilton although Cambridge and Tirau also have many creative-oriented businesses, particularly in the crafts sector that capitalises on the tourist market.
Waikato Creative Industries - By the Numbers
In addition to descriptive overviews of the various sectors of the Creative Industries in the Waikato, we have also undertaken some basic statistical analysis using information from Statistics New Zealand's business statistics and census data. Meaningful statistical analysis of the economic contribution of the Creative Industries is difficult, and caution should be employed about using these statistics as a true picture of Creative Industries development in the region, particularly when the sample sizes are so small.
For more information and discussion, please see the Technical Notes.
There are some areas where the figures match information taken in the qualitative research and point to some general trends:
Creative Business in the Waikato, 2000-2004
The most noticeable change in the business structure of the Waikato region over recent times is the decline in employment in the Radio and Television services sector, accompanied by growth in employment in the Film and Video Services & production sectors.
Table 1.
| |
Film, Video, Radio, Television sector - Employee Counts
|
|
| |
|
|
P912 Radio &
Television Services |
|
P911 Film &
Video Services |
|
P9111 Film &
Video Production |
|
 |
| |
|
|
Waikato |
|
Hamilton |
|
Waikato |
|
Hamilton |
|
Waikato |
|
Hamilton |
|
|
| |
2000 |
|
270 |
|
160 |
|
140 |
|
110 |
|
9 |
|
9 |
|
| |
2001 |
|
260 |
|
140 |
|
120 |
|
90 |
|
6 |
|
6 |
|
| |
2002 |
|
260 |
|
120 |
|
110 |
|
70 |
|
15 |
|
9 |
|
| |
2003 |
|
210 |
|
85 |
|
150 |
|
90 |
|
30 |
|
25 |
|
| |
2004 |
|
200 |
|
80 |
|
150 |
|
100 |
|
30 |
|
20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This shift reflects the increased activity in film production and the continuing development of corporate and other custom video production. It also reflects the continued centralisation of media production in the television and radio area. Local programming in either of these media sectors is increasingly an anomaly.
Waikato Creative Employment Data, 2001
The proportion of Hamilton residents employed in creative occupations (1.98%) is lower than the national average of 2.47%. The Waikato region as a whole is significantly lower (1.41%). However, the Waikato region does make up 5.18% of the nation's creative labour force of approximately 44 600, not an insignificant amount.
Hamilton has areas of significant concentration - above its share of general employment - in music, performing arts, industrial design, and photography. It should be noted that the visibility of the industrial design function is very low at an enterprise level, suggesting that many of these designers are working in other firms (such as the many engineering firms in the city). At the broader reigonal level, landscape design is highly prominent, with artistic and curatorial work also prevalent.
Table 2.
Table 3.
In terms of sheer size of employment, graphic design is the largest single occupation. Again, the lack of visibility of design firms suggests a number of designers "embedded" in non-design organisations. Music education is also a large employer, reflecting the business data on Hamilton as a significant musical centre.
Table 4.
Table 5.
Occupations such as instrument making and repair, camera operation, and industrial design top the "urban concentration index". This figure highlights the proportion of Waikato employees in each sector who are based in Hamilton. The table indicates that comparatively little of the employment in these sectors exists outside Hamilton City.
Table 6.
| |
Urban Concentration Index
|
|
| |
(Proportion of Waikato employment based in Hamilton compared to total Waikato employment - minimum 10 Hamilton employees) |
|
| |
Musical Instrument Maker, Repairer and Tuner |
|
2.46 |
|
| |
Camera Operator |
|
2.30 |
|
| |
Computer Programmer |
|
2.07 |
|
| |
Industrial Designer |
|
1.94 |
|
| |
Broadcasting and Theatrical Production Manager |
|
1.89 |
|
| |
Clown, Magician, Acrobat and Related Worker |
|
1.84 |
|
| |
Advertising and Public Relations Manager |
|
1.81 |
|
| |
Graphic Designer |
|
1.65 |
|
| |
Architect |
|
1.63 |
|
| |
Singing and Music Teacher |
|
1.54 |
|
| |
Author and Critic |
|
1.54 |
|
| |
Artistic Director |
|
1.54 |
|
|
|
| |
Source: Interpreted from Statistics New Zealand Census Data 2001 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This information should be read in conjunciton with the descriptions of the creative industries sectors in the region. Overall they point to small but significant concentrations of creative industries activity in the region that are not reflected in Hamilton's self-presentation and identity.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
