The 21st Century will see massive growth in amateur culture and creativity, according to renowned media commentator Lawrence Lessig, a Stanford University law professor and founder of a process which help creators share and protect their works.

Professor Lessig said: "If you think of the 20th Century as this period of professionalising creativity - you've got the film and recording industries which become the professional creators, separating and stifling in many ways the popular culture. I do not think you are going to see the elimination of the professional creators but you are going to see it complemented by a much wider range of amateur culture in the original sense of the word amateur - in that people do it purely for the love of creating."

He added, "Many of the professional creators don't get it - they can't imagine a world where creativity is not controlled. But they should recognise this amateur creativity has extraordinary potential for them too."

Some of the world's largest, and more farsighted, content creators are already taking steps to address this development and tap the commercial potential. In Britain, the BBC (www.bbc.co.uk) is undertaking a long-term project to release hundreds of hours of its TV and radio archive online so that people can use it in creative ways. The BBC also recently launched the backstage.bbc.co.uk developer network, with the ultimate aim of fostering a strong community network of creative talent in the UK which can work effectively in innovative, open and collaborative ways.