CULTURAL AND CREATIVES INDUSTRIES AS INNOVATIVE DRIVERS TO IMPROVE URBAN QUALITY OF LIFE

Project Information

CULT-IN

Grant agreement ID: 101136009

DOI

10.3030/101136009

Project closed

EC signature date 28 June 2023

Start date 1 April 2023

End date 31 December 2023

Funded under

• Culture, creativity and inclusive society

Total cost

€ 409 813,94

EU contribution

€ 300 000,00

Coordinated by

FUNDACION ESPANOLA PARA LA CIENCIAY LA TECNOLOGIA, F.S.P., FECYT
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CULT-IN (CULTURAL AND CREATIVES INDUSTRIES AS INNOVATIVE DRIVERS TO IMPROVE URBAN QUALITY OF LIFE)

Reporting period: 2023-04-01 to 2023-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The European Union (EU) has strong and vibrant Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs). These are essential for Europe's cultural diversity, strengthening social cohesion and the European sense of belonging and increasing Europe’s attractiveness internationally, as well as drivers of innovation and economy.

In order to reflect how these industries collaborate and contribute to improve people's quality of life by creating solutions through Culture and Science, the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union held on 11, 12 and 13 July 2023 in Barcelona a European Conference entitled ‘Cultural and creative industries, cities and citizens fostering sustainable development and the European way of living’.

The event has been an international meeting point between Culture and Science by displaying, in a demonstrative, interactive and participatory way, CCIs’ European and collaborative projects and initiatives that are not only innovative and sustainable, but also accessible, affordable, socially committed and enriching for all in line with the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative. The event was able to reflect how cultural and creative industries can work as social and innovative drivers and collaborate together.

The potential of cultural and creative industries was reflected through the following objectives:

1. To optimize and strengthen the role of CCIs as key players in innovation ecosystems.
2. To draw the European and international art, creativity, and cultural sectors.
3. To present in a unique conference the variety of creativity available in European CCIS.
4. To create an exchange space forum of culture and science, in order to foster cross-sectoral collaboration to consolidate the role of CCIs.
5. To carry out co-design and/or co-participation activities involving citizens and communities, given the citizen engagement and participation dimension of the event.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The event consisted of two-days-and-a-half conference that took place in the DHUB Museum in Barcelona, the central pole of creative activities in Catalonia (Spain) and considered the capital of architecture and design. The conference implemented the objectives through four main axes with a common thematic denominator: the CCIs, the NEB, cities, and citizens.
1. Innovation in the Cultural and Creative Industries.
2. European culture in the New European Bauhaus.
3. Art and quality of life in the cities.
4. People’s engagement.

The event included also two social events in the Opera House of Barcelona and the CosmoCaixa Science Museum, with the participation of artists, scientists, technologists, and citizens, around inclusion and social welfare in a broader sense (in line with the EU’s priorities). They especially followed the concepts of the NEB connecting culture and innovation for the society.

The Conference also included side events that completed the programme:
- Space forum of science, design, culture, and art. Roundtables in the same venue in parallel of the main event as a meeting point for universities, research centres, companies, industries, cultural and creative entities, artists, public agencies, municipalities, civil organizations, and citizens, among others.
– European Urban Art Award-Recognition, thank to the project Circular Cities Challenge opened to European creative talents: the creation and exhibition of artefacts that improve the lives of citizens and connect innovative practices and emergent technologies with cultural heritage in design, architecture, and making practices.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The project CULT+IN generated the following outputs/results:
• Support of the launch of the European platform for CCIs, that brings together highly networked and diverse organizations with strong track-record in research, innovation, and policymaking for and with the CCIs.
• The Barcelona Statement on the cultural and creative industries, an informative document with a clear European focus that will gather how the Cultural and Creative Industries play an essential role in the economy, along the lines of the transition to a green and digital economy, with a great implication in the improvement of people's quality of life.
• A Decalogue of collaboration and good practices between European CCIs to address the challenges and changes in economy and society in an inclusive way. This document is an annex to the Barcelona Statement.
• An annual review or update of the Statement and Decalogue.
• A digital book/magazine of the Urban Art Award with pictures of the work contains the profile of the different European artists and it gives special emphasis of the meaning each piece of artwork, or a sketch.
• An edited video recording of the sessions.

Considering the outputs, the Conference will aim to achieve the following expected outcomes:
• Higher awareness of the importance of the creation of new business models in cultural and creative sectors, based on a people-centred perspective.
• Higher degree of cross-sectoral collaboration to consolidate the role of CCIs as key players in innovation ecosystems.
• Increase in the use of innovative technologies by CCIs to create beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive places, products, and ways of living.
• More frequent use of innovation in art, creativity, and culture to promote sustainable cities, neighborhood spaces and environment.
• Stronger innovation capacity of the CCIs and increase on their capability to act as innovation engines and profitable business models.

Statament4

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