Cross-Border Creatives

As I arrived in Siem Reap on a visit to Angkor Wat a couple years ago, the hotel driver surprised me a bit as we headed into town from the airport. He told me he’s a university student, and when I asked what he is studying, I expected to hear some sort of business degree. After all, that seems to be the thing that the fortunate few university students in poor countries like this see as their ticket out.

Nope. English Literature.

When we think about places like Cambodia, or Laos, or Burundi, or dozens of other poverty-stricken nations, we often think of people taking subsistence jobs, doing just enough to survive. A lucky few start businesses, or get into relatively lucrative government positions, but not too many seem to have the time to contemplate such things as English Literature…especially in countries where English is not the native language.

And yet, this is the nature of creativity. It does not always come about because of an environment; sometimes, it exists despite it. Creativity does not respect national boundaries, nor is it driven by financial circumstances. The opportunity to express that creativity, or to turn it into an income…well, that does seem pretty dependent upon an individual’s circumstances, but Creatives can exist anywhere.

I was reminded of that as we toured Angkor Wat and the other temples. I was amazed by the understanding of architecture and engineering that was required in order to build these places back in the 11th and 12th centuries. This was not Europe, with its universities and its patrons of the arts and its wealthy churches, yet somehow these folks developed the knowledge to construct these temples that survive a thousand years later.

In some countries, this inherent creativity has been recognized, and has led to new industries. Malaysia, for example, has developed into a hub for software development; not only have lots of firms sprung up there, but American software developers both large and small are employing plenty of free agents there. Lucasfilm opened an animation facility in Singapore (not a poor country, of course, but also not one typically renowned for having a society that encourages creativity) to take advantage of the great animation talents that have emerged from Asia. President Obama was in Vietnam this week and held a panel discussion with a group of tech entrepreneurs in Ho Chi Minh City, reminding the audience that “the culture of entrepreneurship has really begun to grow in Vietnam.” There are lots of opportunities for creative firms to find talent beyond their own borders, and in places they might have thought unlikely.

This is not to say that creative firms need to look at the World Bank’s list of Gross National Incomes per capita and start recruiting in the 10 poorest countries. What it does mean, though, is that you should be open to recruiting from, and looking for Creatives in, places you would not have considered before. Be as open to new places as you are to new ideas.