The Creative Cluster is a way of thinking about the relationships between commercial and not-for-profit sectors across creative fields and their supporting industries. This term was used in a 2010 report issued by the Ontario government called Ontario’s Entertainment and Creative Cluster: A Framework for Growth. Though the report is a bit dated now, the overall approach provides a more holistic way of looking at career choices.

Why is it important to approach creative careers holistically? Education and public policy tend to separate the branches of commercial (“applied”) and non-commercial (“fine“) arts, and this can lead to more limited strategies in career development.

Image credit: Ontario’s Entertainment and Creative Cluster: A Framework for Growth