In the 1990s, a new concept of «creative economy» has appeared in economics, and a new trend has emerged in the development of advanced countries, namely, a shift from material to intellectual and informational resources. This contributed to the development of activities aimed at creating innovations and intellectual property, which were called «creative industries». The expansion of the creative industries market has led to the transformation of cultural centres in the direction of greater commercialisation. The object of the research is the concept of «creative city», first proposed by the British cultural critic Charles Landry. The article aims to examine the phenomenon of «creative city» and its prevalence in the world. In the course of the study, methods of collecting and analysing information from scientific monographs, scientific articles, reports of international organisations, materials of city administrations, regulatory documents, etc., were used. As a result, factors for the successful development of creative industries in the urban economy were identified.