Can Denmark become the Hollywood of Europe?

Government sets up growth team to boost creative industry

Could Denmark really become a mecca for European cinema production in the future? The Danish government certainly seems to hope so.

The business minister, Brian Mikkelsen, has established a growth team charged with increasing turnover and employment in the creative industry.

“The creative industry is one that is storming ahead globally, but in Denmark we are not taking advantage of the massive growth potential,” Mikkelsen told Børsen newspaper.

“We need to become better at utilising our strengths and the question is why we aren’t the Hollywood of Europe? The growth team needs to investigate whether there are barriers preventing that growth.”

READ MORE: Boss in translation: the foreign filmmakers who make movies in Danish

Capitalising on success
More specifically, the growth team will look into uncovering solutions that will help generate growth in companies that work with film, TV, gaming, design, fashion, advertisement and architecture.

Currently the create industry employs around 80,000 people and yields an annual turnover of about 230 billion kroner. Additionally, exports have risen from about 60 billion kroner in 2009 to 86 billion in 2015.

Having produced hit series like ‘The Bridge’, ‘The Killing’ and ‘Borgen’, Denmark is well-known for its TV series production abroad, but that doesn’t always translate into solid profit. Mikkelsen pointed out that an example of an area in which Denmark could improve.




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