In Wales report, commissioned in 1998 still does not have any impact on the Welsh statistics concerned with economic development and little use can be made of the findings apart from saying that the sector is significant. However, given the existence of the national cultural institutions, the broadcasters and two languages, you would expect the percentage of employment in the creative industries to be higher in Wales than elsewhere, and yet it is still comparatively low. Wales has its share of cultural entrepreneurs - they are mentioned in the Demos book the Independents and the Cardiff media makers are there with the rest. It also needs to look differently at the resource of the arts and culture itself. As information becomes the domain of the many not the few it is no longer a dominant currency.
Artists are compilers, positioners, interpreters and communicators.
These alliances offer new emphases for cultural players. Exploring the links between disciplines also characterises the new generation of regeneration. Some schemes in Finland where Centres of Expertise include creators from all fields would be worth duplicating in Wales not only for the hoped-for synergies and innovations that can emerge but because inclusivity can be an important civilizing force enobling all players. New regeneration schemes need to look beyond infrastructure and look to an intellectual infrastructure paving pathways from ideas to icons - the weightless economy needs new support structures that stimulate the realisation of fairly amorphous ideas whether it is an internet solution or a servicing new needs that are yet to emerge. Public policy is key in developing cultural policy but it is fraught with complex decisions.