„This project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme co-financed by the
ERDF.“
25.03.2013
Statements of the project partners cities on some of the sustainable results of the project:
cluster institutionalisation and sustainability of local Contact Points
“Creative Cities” is European project within the Central Europe Programme that aims at
establishing a transnational network of creative industry clusters of major Central European
cities. This cooperation is foreseen between five Central European cities: Leipzig (DE),
Genoa (IT), Gdansk (PL), Ljubljana (SI) and Pecs (HU). The project specifically addresses
creative industries that are defined as “those industries which have their origin in individual
creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through
the generation and exploitation of intellectual property. ” (UK Department of Culture,
Media and Sport 2001).
Within the “Creative Cities” project there were established the local clusters of the
creative industry.
Activities of the project contributed to a formalisation of creative industry cluster structures
in each of the five partner cities. Already early in the project, Cluster Work Groups were
established and regular meetings were organised at each important stage of the project
realisation. Stepwise, this led to firmer networks between cluster stakeholders, both locally
and transnationally. Towards the end of the project lifetime, CREATIVE CITIES partners
therefore aimed to give those networks an institutional structure. The institutionalisation of
creative industry cluster structures addressed foremost the members of these clusters in the
five partner cities, e.g. entrepreneurs, start-ups, small companies, research institutes and
higher education institutes (universities) and are foreseen to guarantee the durability of
cluster networks to continue transnational exchange and promotional activities, and give
creative industries a suitable platform for cooperation, networking and cross-fertilisation.
Political endorsement of the institutionalisation was ensured by the partners municipalities'.
Within the activities of the project was to launch local Contact Points (CPs) for the
creative industry operators. The sustainability of these CPs was also guaranteed by the
project partners cities.
Here follows the project partner cities statements on project partners’ cluster
institutionalisation and sustainability of local Contact Points:
Gdansk:
CI Contact Point in Gdansk is a part of Gdansk Business Incubator offer.
It will last after the project closure still serving Tricity Creatives with information, knowledge
and assistance. It will organize creative & business workshops, networking meetings and
startup events to strengthen creative community. The CI cluster institutionalization will be
based on the least possible formality to respect the Creatives high level of independence
and freedom.
Genoa:
The Website genovacreativa.it is a Genoese Contact Point for the creative industries.
The editors-in-chief is one permanent employee of the Municipality of Genoa. In the
Editorial Board there are few members of the Genoese “Creative Cities” project. The
implementation of this Website has been included in Trasnational Implementation Plan of
„This project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme co-financed by the
ERDF.“
the project. It might be underlined that the pages can be read in all European languages
through Google Translator.
With regards to the cluster institutionalisation, in Genoa there were organized 27 cluster
meetings. Currently, there are two combinations of industry clusters. The first one is a
Website www.arbusti.org that aggregates the creative industries connected with the
performing arts and artists themselves. The other is Polo Produzioni Audiovisive Cornigliano
(PPAC) based in Villa Bombrini in Cornigliano zone which has become a production hub
for the creative industries, specializing in the audiovisual sector. There is a headquarter of
Genoa Liguria Film Commission and there are more than 20 small companies and
professionals that produce music videos, television programs, documentaries, short films,
graphic design and web journalism, photography, or others that provide to the
audiovisual productions various services, equipment rental, casting, location scouting.
Leipzig:
The City of Leipzig received many new ideas and valuable best practises from 3 years
participation in the Creative Cities project. The Creative Cities project supported the
development of a cluster strategy as a basis for the future development in Leipzig. This
strategy was adopted by the Leipzig City Council in September 2011. A communication
and action plan also created within the project sustainably supports various measures for
the creative industries and its stakeholders. In particular, a contact point to the creative
industries has been established and will be maintained beyond the project life time. This
contact point will promote the further process of cluster building. A wide range of
communication measures (e.g. website, newsletter, event-calender, training and
coaching sessions) will improve the presence of the creative industries on the market.
Ljubljana:
The sustainability of the cluster contact point of Ljubljana would be best explained in a
bifurcated
manner
dealing
with
formal
and
networking
level.
Formal level deals with the institutionalised ties linking the cluster with the respective
members. Members of the cluster had submitted a formal application that enabled them
to join cluster formally. However, as we all know that formal ties do not guarantee any kind
of sustainability - no formal tie can impose meaningful cooperation, new projects have
been applied for in order to continue with activities in which cluster members can
participate and develop new horizontal ties between themselves, with other sectors and
cluster contact point – Regional Creative Economy Centre. We strongly believe that
launching new activities that lure the creatives into cooperation are the only way of
establishing a sustainable cluster contact point.
Pecs:
The main result of cluster institutionalization is the establishment of a
cluster management organization. Based on the Pécs experience, as a pilot,
these management organizations of the clusters have been founded in the particular
cities. These organizations open their cluster contact points and establish the main
channels of communication with the clusters. Eg. Genoa launched its Creative Genoa
facebook page and website. In Pécs the creatives, stakeholders and everyone interested
can address their issues and questions at the Cluster Contact Point in Pécs and follow the
updates, inform themselves on new tenders at the cluster website, as they do it
daily.
The South Transdanubia Industry Cluster in Pécs organizes also regular cluster meetings,
where best practice studies, and success stories are shared with the other members.
These meetings are considered not just as possible basis for generating new cluster
„This project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme co-financed by the
ERDF.“
projects but also work as interface between the cluster and the policy makers of Pécs.
After the successful cluster meeting held in August 2012 two different creative industry
employment programs have been developed by the CICC Association with the
cooperation of the Labour Centre of Baranya, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of
Pécs-Baranya and the Business Management Centre. The two main domains of the
programs is creating new workplaces within the creative industry sector (Integrator) and
trigger & incubate new creative businesses (Self-Starter). This will mean up to 40 new jobs
for creatives with academic degree in the city of Pécs.
Keep an eye out for more information on: www.creativecitiesproject.eu
For more information contact:
Susanne Kucharski-Huniat
Head Project
E-mail: susanne.kucharski@leipzig.de
Emilia Marieta Saglia
Communication Manager
E-mail: emiliamarieta@comune.genova.it