Creative cities, innovation and technological development – can urban communities be good examples in sustainable development?

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) represents a global initiative that aligns cultural and creative industries (CCIs) with sustainable development goals through innovation and technological integration. This study explores the uneven global distribution of Creative Cities by examining how national-level innovation systems, technological capacity, and socio-economic structures influence city nominations. Using Poisson fixed effects, Poisson pseudo maximum likelihood, and generalized linear models, we assess the impact of variables such as GDP per capita, human capital, urban density, and institutional quality. Our findings reveal that while economic development and strong human capital are key enablers, high institutional quality in innovation does not necessarily correlate with more UNESCO Creative City designations. This paradox underscores the need for more inclusive and context-sensitive innovation policies. The results contribute to the debate on how CCIs can better leverage innovation and technology to foster sustainable urban development and cultural resilience.