Contemporary cities function in a competitive environment. In order to succeed, they build their comparative advantages using various instruments. One of them is city branding. Effective branding contributes to the increase of cities' attractiveness and thus to their competitiveness in various fields. Cities with a clear, credible and attractive vision of development have better development prospects. Creativity is used often as a part of branding strategies. Some cities describe themselves as creative and this is justified by their potential. Some possess creative potential but do not present themselves as creative and use other assets for branding. The article presents results of a study whose goal was to determine whether and to what extent creativity, as a positive attribute of a city, is used in branding of cities-capitals of Polish regions. The results of the study prove that cities with a diverse base of economic development and high creative potential treat the creative sector as one of the assets. Cities undergoing restructuring of the economy treat creativity as a very important element of branding. Creativity is also used by cities whose creative potential is negligible. This proves how high the expectations associated with the image of the "creative city" are and at the same time show the lack of realism in policy making and designing branding strategies.

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Local self-governments at gmina (municipality) level have become primary components of Poland's democratization. The establishment of self-governing units in 1990 was the most important achievement of the first period of transformation and a very promising sign for potential political and economic changes in the future. An attitude to local self-governments presented after 1993 by postcommunist parties that came back to power, have not allowed these governments to build the infrastructure essential for the efficient operation of the jurisdiction. It also was impossible to establish the next level of self-governance— powiat (county)—designed as a complementary one to gminas. The second phase of self-government reform has been halted. There is still no clarification of the functional responsibilities between different levels of government and no authorization of revenue sources corresponding to functional responsibilities. These facts have a negative influence on local transformation processes including those of an economic nature. That is why public administration reform is perceived as a very necessary step to continue democratic reforms and to make regions and counties or municipalities well managed and administered. However, reorganisation of central government or the introduction of new levels of self-governing units will not automatically promote local transformation. In order to do so public administration requires complex and deep changes. The starting point for these changes will be a new definition of the state and of central government's roles and responsibilities. If public administration reform is to bring real changes its role must be redefined from the perspective of a decentralized state. The reform should be designed and implemented in such a way that helps to work out transparent and efficient mechanisms of intergovernmental relationships. The reform should also change the position of local government relative to central government. New professional standards as well as training programs for local government employees must be prepared to improve human resources and to overcome bad bureaucratic customs and practices inherited from the communist era.

Potential and Conditions for the Development of the Creative Sector in Warsaw The creative sector has become an important source used to create competitive advantages of the cities. The importance of creative industries in urban development was spotted more than a decade ago. Creative capital is perceived as an impulse and engine of urban changes, a source of new advantages and attractions. Some point out that it mainly develops in big cities, where the authorities deliberately implement measures aimed at supporting and attracting creative entities. The purpose of this study is to present the condition of the creative sector in Warsaw and the way its functioning is perceived by its representatives. It also discusses the support of city authorities for the development of the creative sector.

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