Development of Creative Industry Centres in Latvia

This article examines the spatial distribution, typology, and development of Creative Industry Centres (CICs) in Latvia. CICs are understood as operational infrastructures within wider creative and urban ecosystems, supporting co-creation, prototyping, knowledge exchange, entrepreneurship, and local value creation. Using spatial analysis, case studies, expert interviews, policy review, and supplementary workshops, the study maps 27 publicly traceable CICs across seven Latvian cities and one town and classifies them as broad-spectrum CICs, prototyping laboratories, and creative business incubators. Findings show a strong concentration in Riga, while regional centres contribute to local entrepreneurship, creative collaboration, product development, community activity, and talent retention. The results indicate that CICs’ growth has been shaped by urban policy, higher education institutions, funding cycles, local initiatives, and European Capital of Culture processes. This positions CICs as instruments for strengthening creative infrastructure and supporting more balanced regional development in Latvia.