The issue of cultural and creative industries appeared in the Lithuanian cultural sector in the 2000s. The definition and classification of the creative industries was discussed at a conference “Creative Industries: a European Opportunity” (2003) and during the forum “European Opportunity: Creative Industries for Regional Development” (2005), both held in Vilnius. In 2002, the Municipality of Vilnius City gave a right to use the old building complex of typography in the city centre to several performing arts NGO’s as well as individual artists. The building was named the Arts Printing House (Menų spaustuvė) and became the first infrastructural complex for creative industries in Lithuania.
In 2007, the Minister of Culture approved the first Strategy of Support and Development of the Creative Industries. The strategy defined the creative industries as activities that are based on the individual’s creative abilities and talents and whose purpose and outcome is intellectual property, and which can create material wealth and workplaces. According to the strategy, the creative industries included crafts, architecture, design, film and video production, publishing, visual and applied arts, music, software and computer services, advertising, radio and television programming and broadcasting, advertising, and the performing arts.
In 2008, the National Association of Creative and Cultural Industries was established. The association participates in culture and high education policy formation, offers recommendations concerning the Government and EU financial investment programmes and financial measures in support of the CCI sector; communicates the value of the CCI sector for the state economy and public welfare; collects CCI related information; communicates CCI related political news; promotes collaboration between science and entrepreneurship; stimulates innovation and creative partnerships; instigates research and conducts training.
In 2009-2013, the Lithuanian Ministry of Economy implemented the programme of the development of the network of arts incubators funded by the EU Structural Funds. During the programme, the Ministry invested 22.24 million EUR and a total of 12 incubators were established. However, the 2017 study Ecosystem of Arts Incubators in Lithuania revealed a range of obstacles preventing their effective activity.
In 2012, the Lithuanian Parliament adopted the long-term national strategy Lithuania 2030. The strategy reflects a national vision and priorities for development as well as guidelines for their implementation by 2030 (see chapter 1.1). In 2020, the Lithuanian Government adopted the National Development Plan of Lithuania for 2021-2030, which is the main planning document of state changes for the next 10 years. Innovativeness (creativity), together with sustainable development and equal opportunities, is considered the horizontal principle of the plan. Cultural and creative industries are mentioned in the 9th objective of the first goal: to increase the potential of cultural and creative industries and promote the development of new products and services based on creative content.
Table 16: Key indicators of Lithuanian Cultural Industries
| Year Key indicators | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Cultural employment (% of total employment) | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 4.0 |
| Number of cultural enterprises | 6 872 | 9 019 | 10 195 | 10 957 | 11 653 | 12 560 | – | – |
| Value added at factor cost – million euro / percentage | ||||||||
| Printing and reproduction of recorded media | 63.5 0.51 | 69.1 0.48 | 74.8 0.48 | 71.8 0.43 | 74.7 0.4 | 79.3 0.38 | – | – |
| Retail sale of books in specialised stores | 4.9 0.04 | 5.9 0.04 | 5.8 0.04 | 6.1 0.04 | 6.7 0.04 | 7.0 0.03 | – | – |
| Retail sale of newspapers and stationery in specialised stores | 11.7 0.09 | 13.0 0.09 | 10.4 0.07 | 12.4 0.07 | 14.6 0.08 | 13.4 0.06 | – | – |
| Book publishing | 14.2 0.11 | 10.5 0.07 | 11.7 0.07 | 12.2 0.07 | 11.6 0.06 | 13.1 0.06 | – | – |
| Publishing of newspapers | 18.1 0.14 | 19.3 0.13 | 20.2 0.13 | 19.9 0.12 | 19.3 0.1 | 17.9 0.09 | – | – |
| Publishing of journals and periodicals | 10.1 0.08 | 10.2 0.07 | 10.9 0.07 | 9.7 0.06 | 10.3 0.06 | 12.5 0.06 | ||
| Publishing of computer games | 1.0 0.01 | 1.3 0.01 | 5.2 0.03 | 9.3 0.06 | 5.3 0.03 | 11.3 0.05 | ||
| Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities | 13.1 0.1 | 13.2 0.09 | 19.4 0.12 | 22.3 0.13 | 26.8 0.14 | 32.4 0.15 | – | – |
| Programming and broadcasting activities | 19.2 0.15 | 21.1 0.15 | 27.2 0.17 | 24.6 0.15 | 27.3 0.15 | 29.5 0.14 | – | – |
| News agency activities | 1.0 0.01 | 0.9 0.01 | 1.0 0.01 | 1.2 0.01 | 1.2 0.01 | 1.6 0.01 | ||
| Architectural activities | 36.1 0.29 | 46.5 0.32 | 46.6 0.3 | 48.0 0.28 | 48.6 0.26 | 54.6 0.26 | – | – |
| Specialised design activities | 5.8 0.05 | 6.8 0.05 | 9.3 0.06 | 11.9 0.07 | 15.7 0.08 | 18.6 0.09 | – | – |
| Photographic activities | 6.9 0.06 | 8.0 0.06 | 9.7 0.06 | 11.2 0.07 | 12.4 0.07 | 14.8 0.07 | – | – |
| Translation and interpretation activities | 11.0 0.09 | 13.1 0.09 | 13.9 0.09 | 14.2 0.08 | 13.0 0.07 | 16.1 0.08 | – | – |
| All cultural sectors | 216.7 | 239 | 275 | 284 | 298.3 | 330.4 | – | – |
| Exports of cultural goods as a percentage of total exports (all countries of the world) | 0.39 | 0.56 | 0.39 | 0.42 | 0.38 | 0.47 | 0.38 | 0.39 |
| Imports of cultural goods as a percentage of total imports (all countries of the world) | 0.23 | 0.3 | 0.27 | 0.28 | 0.23 | 0.31 | 0.28 | 0.31 |
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