Abstract
Cultural industries have emerged as an increasingly important component of contemporary economic development, by bringing together cultural expression, creativity, technology, intellectual property, and market mechanisms. Unlike traditional industries, cultural industries generate economic value not only through material production but also through symbolic meanings, cultural identities, knowledge, and creative content. The expansion of digital technologies, streaming platforms, social media, artificial intelligence, and global cultural markets has further transformed the production, distribution, and consumption of cultural products. These developments have created additional opportunities for developing countries to participate in global value chains while simultaneously creating challenges related to cultural identity, intellectual property protection, market concentration, inequality, and the commercialization of culture. Vietnam represents an important case in this transformation because the country possesses considerable cultural diversity, traditional craft heritage, performing arts, historical resources, and a rapidly expanding digital economy. Since the adoption of the National Strategy for the Development of Cultural Industries to 2020, with a Vision to 2030, Vietnam has increasingly recognized cultural industries as an economic sector capable of contributing to employment, economic growth, tourism, national branding, and international integration. This article examines the theoretical foundations of cultural industries, analyzes their economic and social significance, evaluates the development of cultural industries in Vietnam, and discusses the opportunities and challenges created by digitalization and globalization. The article argues that Vietnam should move beyond viewing culture primarily as a field of preservation or public expenditure and increasingly recognize culture as a productive resource while maintaining cultural diversity, public value, and social inclusion. The future development of Vietnamese cultural industries therefore requires an integrated ecosystem connecting creativity, education, technology, intellectual property protection, finance, entrepreneurship, cultural heritage, and international markets.
Keywords: cultural industries; creative economy; cultural economy; Vietnam; digital transformation; creative industries; cultural policy; intellectual property; cultural heritage; sustainable development
Abstract
Cultural industries have emerged as an increasingly important component of contemporary economic development, by bringing together cultural expression, creativity, technology, intellectual property, and market mechanisms. Unlike traditional industries, cultural industries generate economic value not only through material production but also through symbolic meanings, cultural identities, knowledge, and creative content. The expansion of digital technologies, streaming platforms, social media, artificial intelligence, and global cultural markets has further transformed the production, distribution, and consumption of cultural products. These developments have created additional opportunities for developing countries to participate in global value chains while simultaneously creating challenges related to cultural identity, intellectual property protection, market concentration, inequality, and the commercialization of culture. Vietnam represents an important case in this transformation because the country possesses considerable cultural diversity, traditional craft heritage, performing arts, historical resources, and a rapidly expanding digital economy. Since the adoption of the National Strategy for the Development of Cultural Industries to 2020, with a Vision to 2030, Vietnam has increasingly recognized cultural industries as an economic sector capable of contributing to employment, economic growth, tourism, national branding, and international integration. This article examines the theoretical foundations of cultural industries, analyzes their economic and social significance, evaluates the development of cultural industries in Vietnam, and discusses the opportunities and challenges created by digitalization and globalization. The article argues that Vietnam should move beyond viewing culture primarily as a field of preservation or public expenditure and increasingly recognize culture as a productive resource while maintaining cultural diversity, public value, and social inclusion. The future development of Vietnamese cultural industries therefore requires an integrated ecosystem connecting creativity, education, technology, intellectual property protection, finance, entrepreneurship, cultural heritage, and international markets.
Keywords: cultural industries; creative economy; cultural economy; Vietnam; digital transformation; creative industries; cultural policy; intellectual property; cultural heritage; sustainable development
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How to cite:
Nhung Tran Thi Thu, Huong Nguyen Thi Lan. Cultural Industries and Their Development in Vietnam: Economic Transformation, Cultural Value, and Creative Potential. Revista Cultura Científica, 2026 Issue 24. pg. 1822-1832.
Publication History
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Received: 08/07/2026
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Accepted: 07/10/2026
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Published: 13/10/2026
Copyright © 2026, Nhung Tran Thi Thu, Huong Nguyen Thi Lan. Published by Revista Cultura Científica. This article is published as open access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license (
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
