Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture

1. Policy Brief: CCI and Traditional industries' cooperation

   NDPC is launching the second policy brief "Hearing and Dancing? How can the Cultural and Creative Industries Engage with 'Traditional Industries' to Mutual Benefit?" within the framework of an EU-funded study project ‘Cross-sectoral cooperation and innovation within Creative and Cultural Industries - practices, opportunities and policies within the area of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture’, which is being carried out throughout this year. The ability of CCIs to connect with other sectors and contribute to cross-sectoral innovation is the major focus of the project of which this Policy Brief is one component.

   The project was conceived and its terms of reference defined before the COVID-19 pandemic when cross-sectoral working and innovation was seen as something desirable. In this new world it is going to be essential in order to find new ways of working and new sources of income and funding. With United Nations’ designation of 2021 as the year of “The Creative Economy for Sustainable Development”, CCIs will be expected to take a proactive role in finding solutions to global and local challenges. Creative and innovative companies and entrepreneurs will need to significantly increase their efforts in terms of cross-sectoral working. The CCI sector can contribute effectively to solving many of the challenges and issues of other sectors if some of the barriers such as cross-sectoral communication gaps and other constraints can be tackled. The fact is that there has probably never been a more auspicious time for new policy development and for re-visiting strategy.

   The aim of this Policy Brief is to begin to explore the potential of the Cultural and Creative Industries to work with ‘traditional industries’.Being such a wide and complex subject, to narrow the focus it looks at the the CCI sector in relation to the traditional cultural sector. It looks at how the Cultural and Creative Industries can engage further with the traditional cultural sector and the education sector to mutual benefit and to start to define what actions or support measures are needed to facilitate this.

   The Policy Brief covers three main areas:

   • How traditional is traditional culture or any kind of traditional industry in a fast-changing world. What are the survival scenarios for CCIs and the traditional cultural sector in the post- COVID-19 world?
   • How can CCIs, the traditional cultural sector and the education sector educate each other and how can the common interest be identified? How effective is the CCI sector at communication and advocacy?
   • How can the benefits of cross-sectoral cooperation and innovation between CCIs and the traditional cultural sector be stimulated, recognized and evaluated or measured?

   This Policy Brief represents the inputs and ideas of many experts and specialists whom we want to thank, especially those who actively contributed to an Experts Focus Group which took place as an online event on 10th September 2020.

   The policy brief is available in English and Russian.

   The NDPC welcomes your feedback on this Policy Brief. For more information on the project mentioned above go to the project page.

2. Third Experts' Focus Group within “Cultural and Creative Industries Cooperation and Innovation in the ND Countries” project

   On-line Experts’ Focus Group ‘Getting Better? CCIs engaging with Well-being: building inclusive communities and resilient societies’

   Date and time: 27 October, 2020, from 11.00 to 13.00 (EET time! Riga time, GMT +2)

   In the context of developing a new 2021-2024 Strategy the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) is implementing a study project, the core of which includes mapping, to identify the degree of cross-sectoral cooperation and innovation currently taking place between the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) and other social and economic sectors.

   The focus will be on ’cross-innovation’ which in the context of this EU-funded project refers to a process by which CCIs share information, collaborate and work with other growth sectors to promote new thinking as well as innovative products, services and activities. ‘Cross innovation’ manifested in the digital, economic, environmental, social and educational dimensions is the priority.

   This on-line Experts’ Focus Group is one of a series of such events being convened as part of the development of the project. These events bring together CCI and other experts from the eleven Northern Dimension countries to explore current activity and the potential of CCIs to work cross-sectorally. This Experts’ Focus Group has as its theme the engagement of ‘CCIs in the Well-being Agenda’ including in the context of the new needs of the COVID-19 era.

   During the Expert Focus Group event participants will share their views on the following four main themes:

   1. CCIs and well-being - What is the Well-being Research Telling Us?

   2. Creating the cross-innovation opportunities for CCIs to engage with the well-being agenda.

   3. CCIs and Community resilience (i.e. social cohesion, vitality of communities, inclusion).

   4. What can CCIs offer in relation to mental health, well-being and resilience in the COVID-19 context?

   The discussions and ideas that emerge from this Experts’ Focus Group Events will contribute to the creation of a Briefing Policy document, which will advance current debate and will help develop the NDPC’s new Strategy 2021-2024 and its future actions and activities.

   Programme of the event is availabe.

   Participants: Up to 20 invited CCI experts, specialists and practitioners and other Culture and Well-being stakeholders and specialists from the Northern Dimension countries.

   Contact: Those interested in further information, please send your contact details, organisation or reason for your interest to Yulia Bardun (ybardoun@yahoo.com).

   More information about the project of which this event is one element can be found here.

3. "NDPC Forum - 7th International Cultural Forum meets b.creative" on 10 and 11 November

   SAVE THE DATE! for the "NDPC Forum - 7th International Cultural Forum meets b.creative" which will be held online and onsite in Saint Petersburg (only for residents of Russia) on 10 and 11 November 2020.

   Inspirational speeches, panel discussions, networking activities, workshops and more. The event will be dedicated to creative entrepreneurship through museums and cross-sector collaboration.

   Registrations and more information will follow very soon!

   This is a joint event by the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and b.creative – the global network for cultural & creative entrepreneurs.

    

4. "The Art of Staying Healthy – Can Culture Improve our Wellbeing?" Online workshop within the 11th EUSBSR Annual Forum

    6 October 2020
   10:00–12:00 CEST

   There is good evidence for the positive effects of arts on health and well‑being, both in prevention and treatment. However, interventions are mostly local or national and short-term. To fully untap the potential of arts‑based interventions, we need to create a better understanding of how art impacts our well-being and how this can be used to promote better health for people of all ages and backgrounds. The workshop will raise awareness for the health benefits of art interventions, facilitate the exchange of best practices from countries outside and within the BSR and brainstorm ideas for future cross-border initiatives. Presentations will cover the possibilities for using culture to improve health throughout a person’s life-course, including children and youth and the impact of art on development.

   The focus of the presentations will be on introducing hands-on practical examples that could be replicated in other contexts. They should also aim at identifying ways in which both the cultural and health sector could learn from and further engage with other sectors to unlock the health-promoting potential of arts, both in everyday life and crisis situations.

   The workshop is a cooperation between the NDPHS as Coordinator of the EUSBSR PA Health, the NDPC on behalf of PA Culture and the Arts Promotion Centre Finland and is organized alongside the EUSBSR Annual Forum 2020. It is part of the inception phase for a project that is already under development between NDPHS and NDPC. It should provide input and feedback into the future strategic direction of the project and identify ways to engage other PAs/HAs represented in the EUSBSR.

   Please, register here till 2 October: https://ej.uz/artsandwellbeing and take a look at the programme and Facebook event of the workshop.

5. Looking back at the online events of "Exploration into possible futures" project

   On 5 and 16 June, as well as on 12 August three online seminars during the "Exploration into Possible Futures 2020" project, focusing on ecology, future, agency, and local perspectives in the complex context of sustainability, took place.

   The summaries of the events can be found here below:

   Age of Change - 12 August

   Age of Ecologies - 16 June

   Age of Agency - 5 June

   The online events are organized as part of the "Exploration into Possible Futures", a sub-project of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture, Creating New Practices of Sustainability – Cross-sectorial creativity in the era of Climate Change - project which focuses on examining four pillars of sustainability in relation to local resilience at north.
   
   Project is based on the idea that art and culture can serve as activators for developing social discourse in an eco-social and cultural direction as a response to climate change. In this transition towards more resilient and sustainable thinking, expertise in art and culture can offer numerous development views and actions that significantly support multilateral regional cooperation.
   
   The end result of Exploration into Possible Futures will be joint artistic-scientific output carried out by Arts Promotion Centre Finland in collaboration with independent curating group FridayMilk (Murmansk), Magneetti (Northern Media Culture Organization Rovaniemi), and other partners.
   
   The project is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture. Project is implemented by Arts Promotion Centre Finland in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland.

6. Second Experts' Focus Group within “Cultural and Creative Industries Cooperation and Innovation in the ND Countries” project

   On-line Experts' Focus Group “Hearing and dancing? How can the Cultural and Creative Industries engage with ‘Traditional Industries’ to mutual benefit?”

   Date and time: 10 September, 2020 from 11.00 to 13.00 (Riga time, GMT +3)

   In the context of developing a new 2021-2024 Strategy, the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) is implementing a study project, the core of which includes mapping, to identify the degree of cross-sectoral cooperation currently taking place between the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) and other social and economic sectors.

   The focus is on ’cross-innovation’ which in the context of this project refers to a process by which CCIs share information, collaborate and work with other growth sectors to promote new thinking as well as innovative products, services and activities. ‘Cross innovation’ manifested in the digital, economic, environmental, social and educational dimensions is the priority.

   The on-line Experts Focus Group is being convened to support this study project. It is one of the events bringing together CCI professionals and other relevant people from the eleven Northern Dimension countries to focus in particular on the ways in which CCIs can contribute to the transformation of ‘traditional Industries’ and to identify the support measures needed to facilitate greater CCI connectivity with them.

   During the Expert Focus Group event participants will share their views on the following issues:

   ‘Traditional industries’ can be interpreted in many different ways and so for this event we will focus on arts and cultural areas such as crafts, fashion and traditional architecture and also on the separate area of education. To what extent are such areas in practice ‘traditional’ in an era of emerging green, knowledge, circular, and innovation economies?

   During the first on-line experts group, when discussing the barriers to cross-sectoral cooperation, participants referred to CCIs and other sectors’ ‘Low awareness of each other and the needs’ stating that ‘Although some progress may be being made, an obvious example is the awareness gulf between ‘creatives’ and ‘traditional industries’. If correct, is this a CCI communication and advocacy weakness? How serious is this ‘gulf’ for CCIs and the ‘traditional industries’? What does developing awareness mean in practical and policy terms? How to encourage ‘hearing’ and ‘dancing’ in the new ‘mad’ Covid-19 world?

   Specifically what is different and what has changed in the new post-Corvid-19 world in terms of a CCI-‘traditional industries’ cross-sectoral relationship? Will any drivers of new or increased cross-sectoral activity be related to a) threats or b) opportunities or c) both or d) to other factors?

   How does one a) recognise and b) evaluate or measure the benefits of cross-sectoral cooperation and innovation between CCIs and ‘traditional industries’? If one can recognise success, how can such relationships be rewarded and incentivised to encourage future growth in this area?

   Based on the discussions and ideas that emerge from the Expert Focus Group Events a briefing paper will be developed to contribute to the shaping of the NDPC’s new Strategy 2021-2024 and its future actions and activities.

   Participants: Up to 20 CCI and traditional industries stakeholders and other relevant specialists from the Northern Dimension countries

   Contact for the event: Yulia Bardun (ybardoun@yahoo.com)

   More information about the project can be found here.

7. Policy Brief: CCI Connectivity and Cross-sectoral Innovation

   In the light of the consequences caused by the pandemic, the need for innovative thinking and fresh approaches to policies and practices is more urgent than ever. A sustainable and targeted cross-sectoral cooperation can generate new solutions in different areas. This is also an opportunity for the CCI sector to refocus, readapt and contribute while seeking new ways of working and new sources of income and funding.

   NDPC is launching the policy brief "CCI Connectivity and Cross-sectoral Innovation - Creating the Relationships" which is one of a series that is being produced during the course of this year. The ability of CCIs to connect with other sectors and contribute to cross-sectoral innovation is therefore appropriately the focus of this first policy brief. The background to it is two-fold. It is one guiding element of work and activity taking place to develop the new NDPC Strategy for 20121-2024. In addition, it flows from an EU-funded project 'Cross-sectoral cooperation and innovation within Creative and Cultural Industries - practices, opportunities and policies within the area of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture’ which includes mapping, identification of case studies in each of the countries and expert focus groups.

   The project is being developed by Terry Sandell, Petya Koleva and Yulia Bardun in extensive consultation with professionals in the eleven Northern Dimension countries. This Policy Brief is flowing from that cooperation including a very productive online Experts’ Focus Group which took place in July 2020. The Policy Brief therefore represents a synthesis of a very broad range of expert views.

   This policy brief looks at CCI connectivity and cross-sectoral innovation by focusing on four areas:

   • CCI cross-sectoral cooperation before and after COVID-19
   • What drives cross-sectoral relationships and innovation?
   • What interventions are needed to stimulate increased cross-sectoral activity?
   • What are the main barriers or obstacles inhibiting cross-sectoral relationships?

   The policy brief is available in English and Russian.

   The NDPC welcomes feedback on this and on future Policy Briefs. For more information on the project mentioned above go to the project page.

8. HackCreative workshop videos – available online

   From May 1-3 we organized HackCreative: An Industry Transformed hackathon for the cultural and creative industries. The aim was to create solutions for this unforeseen challenge that all of us are facing. During the hackathon we gathered 300 participants from all over the world and 26 ideas were created. 

   Though not only amazing ideas were developed but also participants had the chance to learn something new from industry professionals. Professionals that talked about digital transformation, creating collaborative teams, keeping your business relevant, creative technologies and about limitless design.

   Not only did it help the participants during the hackathon but the information has stayed with them ever since and they've been able to implement it in their everyday lives. 

   We would love to give you the chance to use these resources and also find out something new that could become very useful. Feel free to watch all of the workshops or just the ones that you find most relevant. But do not miss out on this as the information you could gain is invaluable.

   Workshop videos:

   Creating Collaborative Teams by Birgitta Perrson

   Creative Ways to Keep Our Businesses Relevant (and Alive) During Crisis by Alex Antolino

   Creative Technologies by Lina Marta Sarma

   Design Without Limits by Edgars Zvirgzdins

   Digital Transformation by Sebastien Toupy

    

9. A call to invest in all our creative futures

   Ahead of the next European Council meeting (17-18 July), 45 leading European cultural figures issued a call for the EU to “be bold and to invest in culture and the arts, to invest in all our creative futures.” This is a direct response to the European Commission’s latest proposal to reduce the Creative Europe programme’s budget to €1,52 billion, in comparison to the €1,64 billion they had initially proposed in May 2018.

   Performance artist Marina Abramović, singer-songwriters Björk and MØ, dance choreographer Anne-Teresa De Keersmaeker, film directors Agnieszka Holland, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre, theatre director Ivo Van Hove, conceptual visual artist Daniel Buren, film music composer Alberto Iglesias and writer Nina George are among the many acclaimed names behind the call.

   Culture Action Europe, together with numerous other cultural networks, has been actively engaged in promoting this call.

   ****

   European culture is in the midst of a crisis. How decision-makers choose to respond now will set the scene for the next decade of cultural and creative life in our union.

   Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, theatres, cinemas, music halls, museums and other venues of cultural expression have remained closed. Many of those venues will simply not reopen.

   The result has been to squeeze the life out of the cultural and creative sectors, exacerbating the desperately perilous situation in which culture, the arts and the creative sectors at large find themselves.

   Cultural and creative sectors are Europe’s third largest employer. Meaning the economic consequences of a stagnant sector have reached far beyond the realm of culture.

   But, despite such a diminished cultural landscape, it is to culture that we have all turned during this time of great personal and societal adversity.

   It is music that has brought us together on balconies, films and TV series that have entertained us, documentaries, books, performances, pieces of art that have all truly comforted us in our solitude and helped us to escape intellectually and creatively.

   Europe’s most treasured asset is our culture. It is a culture united in its diversity, a culture that draws in millions of people from all over the world every single month. Cultural expression in all its diversity is at the heart of what is meant to be European.

   Despite strong messages from leaders of the European Union that our sectors would be firmly supported, the current proposals for a recovery plan and a European budget strangely fail to consider the needs of the cultural and creative sectors.

   As creators and professionals from the sector, we call on the EU leaders to be bold and to invest in culture and the arts, to invest in all our creative futures.

   We need a plan that revives our cultural ecosystem and inspires the next generation of Europeans.

   This means providing the financial resources at a level which will allow art, culture, cultural and creative enterprises, creators and creative workers to continue their work, to survive and thrive into the future.

   This is an opportunity for the EU to amply demonstrate that it can honour its values. The time is now for Europe to be ambitious and invest in its creative future.

   Culture is the fertile soil out of which Europe’s next generation will unite and flourish. Let’s show Europe’s next generations what kind of future we want to offer them!

    

   List of signatories

   Agnieszka Holland, filmmaker (PL)
   Agustín Almodóvar, producer (ES)
   Alberto Guijarro, director of Primavera Sound and Sala Apolo (ES)
   Alberto Iglesias, film music composer (ES)
   Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, contemporary dance choreographer (BE)
   Benny Andersson, musician, composer (SE)
   Bernie Sherlock, conductor (IE)
   Björk, singer-songwriter (IS)
   Charles Sturridge, filmmaker (UK)
   Dame Evelyn Glennie, percussionist and composer (UK)
   Daniel Buren, conceptual visual artist (FR)
   Isabel Coixet, filmmaker (ES)
   István Szabó, filmmaker (HU)
   Ivo van Hove, theatre director (NL/BE)
   Jaco Van Dormael, filmmaker (BE)
   Jean-Michel Jarre, electronic music pioneer, musician (FR)
   Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, filmmakers (BE)
   Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, filmmaker (FR)
   Joan Fontcuberta, conceptual artist and photographer (ES)
   Lisa Kaindé Diaz Zayas and Naomi Diaz Zayas – IBEYI,  singers, songwriters, and music composers (FR)
   Marian Urban, Scriptwriter and Film Producer (SK)
   Marina Abramović, performance artist (US/SRB)
   Martin Šulík, Film Director and Film Producer (SK)
   Maryla Rodowicz, singer (PL)
   Michał Urbaniak, musician and composer (PL)
   Milo Rau, theatre director (BE/CH)
   Mirga Grazinyte, conductor (LT/UK)
   MØ, singer, songwriter, and record producer (DK)
   Moritz Eggert, composer (DE)
   Nele Neuhaus, writer (DE)
   Nicola Campogrande, composer (IT)
   Nina Bouraoui, writer (FR)
   Nina George, writer (DE)
   Olga Neuwirth, composer (AT)
   Olivier Guez, writer (FR)
   Paul Dujardin, CEO & artistic director of BOZAR (BE)
   Phil Manzanera, composer, guitarist (UK)
   Salvador Sobral, musician (PT)
   Sebastian Fitzek, writer (DE)
   Stijn Coninx, film director (BE)
   Thomas Anargyros, producer (FR)
   Tiago Rodrigues, writer, director, artistic director Teatro Nacional D. Maria II (PT)
   Tim Etchells, artistic director, artist, writer (UK)
   Yuval Weinberg, conductor (IL/DE)

   More information:

   https://cultureactioneurope.org/news/a-call-to-invest-in-all-our-creative-futures/

   https://cultureactioneurope.org/news/uphold-culture-in-the-eu-budget/

10. BRIGHT 2020 virtual conference

    BRIGHT is a five-day virtual conference that will change your perspective on entrepreneurship and creativity, organized by the Creative Business Network. It's focus will be on the cultural and creative sector and its positive impact on society, the economy, and sustainable development. It will be a week of innovation, creation, and knowledge, gathering creative businesses and everyone with a passion for entrepreneurship and innovation – from all over the world.

    The program highlights the latest trends, innovations, and developments in the cultural and creative industries and presents top relevant panel discussions, workshops, and keynotes. BRIGHT also offers unique networking opportunities across sectors and borders.  

    The program is a mix of online talks, webinars, panel discussions and networking sessions evolving around themes that have high priority in the world. You can download the BRIGHT program here.

    The participation in the conference is free of charge, but you are required to registerin advance.

    More information can be found here.

    Join the panel on Regional Collaboration - Best Preactice from the Nordics / Baltics where NDPC will also take part to tell the story about our regional incubators' network:

     

11. First Experts' Focus Group within “Cultural and Creative Industries Cooperation and Innovation in the ND Countries” project

    In the context of developing a new 2021-2024 Strategy, the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) is implementing a study project, the core of which includes mapping, to identify the degree of cross-sectoral cooperation and innovation currently taking place between the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) and other social and economic sectors.

    The focus will be on ’cross-innovation’ which in the context of this project refers to a process by which CCIs share information, collaborate and work with other growth sectors to promote new thinking as well as innovative products, services and activities. ‘Cross innovation’ manifested in the digital, economic, environmental, social and educational dimensions is the priority.

    Within the framework of the project, an on-line Experts’ Focus Group "The Partnership Market – CCI Connectivity and Cross-Sectoral Innovation" is being convened on 2 July, 2020, from 11.00 to 13.00 (Riga time, GMT +3), to support this study project. It will bring together twenty-five CCI professionals and other relevant people from the eleven Northern Dimension countries to focus in particular on the ways in which CCIs can connect with other sectors and to identify the support measures needed to facilitate greater CCI connectivity with other sectors.

    The event will consist of 3 parts: presentation, discussion in teams, feedback. Participants will have a chance to engage in discussions with colleagues, exchange experience and share their views on the following topics related to the creation and development of CCI cross-innovation partnerships:

    CCI cross-sectoral cooperation before and after COVID-19.

    What drives cross-sectoral relationships and innovation?

    What interventions are needed to stimulate increased cross-sectoral activity?

    What are the main barriers or obstacles inhibiting cross-sectoral relationships?

    Based on the discussions and ideas that emerge from the Experts’ Focus Group Events, a briefing paper will be developed to contribute to the shaping of the NDPC’s new Strategy 2021-2024 and its future actions and activities.

    Contact for the event: Yulia Bardun (ybardoun@yahoo.com)  

    More information about the project can be found here.

12. Winners of the cultural and creative industries hackathon HackCreative: An Industry Transformed announced

    On May 1-3, the cultural and creative industries hackathon HackCreative: An Industry Transformed took place online, bringing together more than 300 industry representatives and other stakeholders from 30 countries around the world. Participants developed a variety of projects that could potentially provide support to the industry during the COVID-19 crisis. During the hackathon, 26 ideas were developed, but the three most successful projects shared a cash prize fund of 10 000 euros provided by Swedbank.

    See the Award Ceremony here: ej.uz/AwardCeremony

    During the weekend, an online hackathon brought together more than 300 industry representatives from 30 countries around the world to work together on projects that could potentially address the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis, which has had a significant impact on cultural and creative industries across Europe. In total, 26 ideas were created during the 48-hour hackathon. At the end of the hackathon, a jury of experts consisting of Solvita Krese, Director of Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, Dace Resele, Head of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture Secretariat, Uldis Zariņš, Deputy State Secretary for Cultural Policy at Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, Alex Antolino, Creative Director of Typeform, and Sebastien Toupy, Head of Relationships at The Next Web, selected the three most promising projects that performed best in a fierce competition.

    1st place and a cash prize of 5000 euros were received by the team BRAINFOOD, which developed a platform where various representatives of the creative industry and artists can earn extra income by offering private lessons and masterclasses. More about the idea: ej.uz/BRAINFOOD

    "I think that a hackathon is a great experience, whether the participants already came with a specific idea or it is being developed in a short period of time. The time allotted makes it necessary to gather all the skills in an organized way and focus on using them at all times. We worked in a small team of 4 people and it was easy for us to both communicate and meet the deadline. I hope that other people will also use these types of events to improve their skills,” says Elvi Kustavus, a representative of the BRAINFOOD team.

    The 2nd place and a cash prize of 3000 euros for further development of the idea were received by the team #visitmuseum, which offered online registration and ticketing tools for museums, libraries, and archives, based on the database www.kulturasdati.lv. More about the idea:ej.uz/visitmuseum

    The 3rd place and seed capital of 2000 euros for the further implementation of the project was awarded to team Cosimo, who presented an initiative in which business can be combined with creativity to support unique cultural projects through tax relief, which acts as a donation. More about the idea:ej.uz/Cosimo

    During the online award ceremony, special prizes were presented: the team LaikaForma received a 1000 euro cash prize from the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) for further development of the idea. This team developed a digital platform that includes the largest archive of contemporary art in Latvia, educational materials, and a transparent cultural heritage. More about the idea:ej.uz/LaikaForma

    Another special award was presented by Make Room Global, who selected two teams that won a fully paid opportunity to visit and participate in the Innovation Lab program, which will take place in India in February of 2021. 5 people from each team will be given the opportunity to go on a very exciting knowledge trip. During the Innovation Lab program, all participants will have the opportunity to participate in a project in which 3 best teams will share a cash prize of 20 000 euros, which will help in the further development of ideas. The winners of the Make Room Global award are the 3rd place winners Cosimo and the team Business of Creativity which developed an educational online platform where the creative industry workers have the opportunity to learn the basics of business from other leaders in the creative industry who already run successful companies. More about the Business of Creativity idea: ej.uz/BusinessofCreativity

    Participants had the opportunity to work with 17 different mentors who supported the teams by sharing their knowledge, experience, and useful insights. Mentors included experts such as Līna Marta Sarma, computer scientist, hackathon veteran and former Managing Director of TechHub Riga, Edgars Zvirgzdiņš, Founder of Associates, Partners et Sons, Egita Poļanska, Partnership Manager at Accelerator Startup Wise Guys, Birgitta Perssona, Head of Point of Value & Director of the Cultural Agency Olivearte, and other well-known industry representatives.

    The cash prize fund worth 10 000 euros was provided by Swedbank. Swedbank is a long-standing supporter of many innovative ideas, which continues to emphasize the importance of cooperation and efforts to emerge stronger from the crisis. Swedbank has also previously supported hackathons such as HackForce and The Global Hack, which brought together members to work together to develop solutions to help fight the COVID-19 crisis.

    The cultural and creative industry hackathon HackCreative: An Industry Transformed invited all creative workers, event organizers, cultural workers, as well as professionals from other fields who wanted to create solutions by encouraging cooperation between different sectors and by establishing closer contact with the audience.

    Creative and Cultural Industries hackathon is organized by the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) and supported by the Latvian Ministry of Culture, cooperation with Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, and Trans Europe Halles network. NDPC focuses on improving operational conditions for cultural and creative industries, bridging the gap between various sources of funding, sectors of activity, and strengthening cooperation between project owners, business communities, the public sector, and international institutions throughout the Northern Dimension.

    Hackathon HackCreative: An Industry Transformed is supported by Swedbank, Embassy of Sweden in Riga, Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia. Partners of the hackathon are FOLD, Loov Eesti,  Latvian Literature, and Workstreams.ai.

13. The prize fund of the hackathon HackCreative: An Industry Transformed - 10 000 euros

    The participants of hackathon will create creative solutions to prevent the crisis

    HackCreative: An Industry Transformed, a cultural and creative industry hackathon, will take place online from May 1-3, bringing together technology enthusiasts as well as creative and cultural industry professionals and other stakeholders who could potentially create solutions to an unforeseen challenge. In cooperation with Swedbank, the three most successful projects will share a cash prize fund worth 10 000 euros.

    The COVID-19 crisis has had a significant impact on the cultural and creative industries across Europe, preventing them from continuing their daily work, generating income, and attracting visitors. Subject to social distancing and security rules, face-to-face events, and the opportunity to experience the arts, which are at the heart of the industry, have been abolished, as has the creation of art and culture. In the current situation, it has become particularly important to seize the opportunities offered by technology to create cross-sectoral cooperation projects and seek new solutions to ensure that the cultural industry is accessible to consumers and that it operates successfully in crisis and post-crisis period. Participation in the hackathon is free.

    During the international hackathon, participants will work on projects with the support of experienced mentors and industry experts, as well as attend the free online workshops. Alex Antolino (Spain), Creative Director of Typeform, will lead a workshop on business in times of crisis; Sebastien Toupy (Netherlands), Head of Startup Relations at The Next Web, will talk about the potential of digital transformation; computer scientist and former TechHub Riga manager Līna Marta Sarma (Latvia) will offer creative technology training; Edgars Zvirgzdiņš (Latvia), the winner of the National Design Award of Latvia and the founder of Associates, Partners et Sons, will talk about design thinking, while Egita Poļanska (Latvia) from the accelerator Startup Wise Guys will give an insight into the product presentation.

    Three most successful ideas, which will be selected by a jury of experts, will share the cash prize fund of 10 000 euros supported by Swedbank. Swedbank is a long-standing backer of many innovative ideas, which continues to emphasize the importance of cooperation and efforts to emerge stronger from the crisis. Swedbank has also previously supported hackathons such as HackForce and The Global Hack, which brought together members to work together to develop solutions to help fight the COVID-19 crisis.

    Registration for the hackathon is open until April 30: hackcreative.org

    The 48-hour online hackathon invites all creative and cultural industry workers, as well as professionals from other industries who want to create solutions by encouraging collaboration between different industries and by building closer contact with the audience.

    Creative and Cultural Industries hackathon is organized by the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) and supported by the Latvian Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art, and Trans Europe Halles network. NDPC focuses on improving operational conditions for cultural and creative industries, bridging the gap between various sources of funding, sectors of activity, and strengthening cooperation between project owners, business communities, the public sector, and international institutions throughout the Northern Dimension. Hackathon HackCreative: An Industry Transformed is supported by Swedbank, Embassy of Sweden in Riga, Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia. Partners of the hackathon are FOLD, Loov Eesti, and Latvian Literature.

14. Call to submit information on CCI cross-sectoral innovation projects in the Northern Dimension area

    In order to identify the needs of cultural and creative industries’ actors who are working cross-sectorally across the Northern Dimension (ND) countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russian Federation and Sweden) and to be able to plan necessary future interventions, the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) has launched a mapping project ‘’CCI Cross-sectoral Cooperation and Innovation in the Northern Dimension Region’’.

    At the current stage of the project, CCI cross-sectoral innovation project actors are invited to submit information on their projects implemented in the ND area. The project team is interested in initiatives with proven impact, as well as in such projects and activities that have failed or faced problems.

    The information can be submitted by filling out this short form in English or Russian, whether by project owners themselves or any other person who is aware of cross-sectoral initiatives happening in the ND area.

    All contributions will be used as part of creating a bigger picture of CCI cross-sectoral innovation projects in the Northern Dimension countries. Some will be included as examples in a published report. 

    For any questions related to the mapping, please contact: petyakoleva@inter-cultura.eu  

    More information and regular updates about the project can be found here.

15. HackCreative: An Industry Transformed - Creative and Cultural Industries hackathon to tackle the current crisis

    The cultural and creative industries across Europe have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, and both individuals and organisations in the field are trying to understand the ongoing impact and adapt to this new reality. A 48-hour fully online hackathon HackCreative: An Industry Transformed on May 1-3 invites industry leaders, creatives, artists, event organisers and culture workers to build new solutions for this unprecedented challenge.

    Cultural and creative industries across Europe, heavily reliant on physical and local experiences, have been disrupted by the current COVID-19 crisis. Events cancellations, travel restrictions, quarantine and self-isolation protocols along other containment measures aiming to protect the public against the pandemic have left the industry, heavily reliant on physical and local experiences, transformed and disrupted. In this time, creatives, freelance workers and events are particularly threatened by the pandemic at a time of huge uncertainty across all sectors.

    This challenging time is also a time of opportunity for transformation, collaboration and learning. Cultural and creative industries are in a strategically important position to promote sustainable and inclusive growth in all EU regions and cities both during and after the crisis. The 48 hour online hackathon is open to all creatives, event organisers and culture workers, as well as professionals from other industries, eager to develop new ways of building bridges across industries and creating platforms for collaboration with the audience. Registration for the event is available here: hackcreative.org 

    The online hackathon will not require previous experience in digital technology, only a proactive interest to work on new solutions and devote 48 hours to learn and work on projects together with other creative professionals from different cultural backgrounds and industries. During two days, participants will learn, build & share their creations over the course of a weekend with the help of experienced mentors and industry experts. 

    Over the course of the weekend, participants will divide into teams and work on their own projects - or join projects proposed by others. During this time, they will have the opportunity to attend six online workshops hosted by industry professionals and consult with several mentors available on hand at all times, offering advice on a wide range of topics that range from UX to event management. 

    Workshops will be led by industry proffesionals - Alex Antolino (Spain), Creative director at typeform, advertising specialist, documentarian and an overnight producer; Birgitta Persson (Sweden), COO at Point of Value & Director at Olivearte Cultural Agency; Sebastien Toupy (Netherlands), Head of startup Relations at The Next Web, open innovation and global events scene master; Līna Marta Sarma (Latvia), Computer scientist specialising in creative coding, hackathon veteran & former Executive Director at TechHub Riga; Egita Poļanska (Latvia), Partnership Manager at Startup Wise Guys specialising in business model & commercialisation; Edgars Zvirgzdiņš (Latvia), Founder at Partners et Sons, specialising in branding, product & graphic design. 

    Creative and Cultural Industries hackathon is organized by Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) and supported by the Latvian Ministry of Culture, the Embassy of Sweden in Riga, the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia and Swedbank, in cooperation with the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art and Trans Europe Halles network. NDPC focuses on improving operational conditions for cultural and creative industries, bridging the gap between various sources of funding, sectors of activity and strengthening cooperation between project owners, business communities, the public sector and international institutions throughout the Northern Dimension.

16. 11th Northern Dimension Forum - CANCELLED!

    THE EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-2019!!!

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On 2 April 2020 St. Petersburg will host the XI Northern Dimension Forum. The forum is primarily aimed at fostering cooperation between business, authorities and civil society involved in developing of the Northern Dimension area.

    This year Forum will focus on CONNECTIVITY. NOW – boosting flows of people, information, energy, goods and services.

    As usual NDPC will host within the Forum a round table discussion titled “CCI Cross-innovation in the ND Region - How to Achieve Greater Connectivity with Other Sectors?''.

    Traditionally, the Forum will gather more than 250 participants representing Russian and European ministries, agencies, regional authorities as well as from the Northern Dimension area, business community and civil society.

    Invited keynote speakers are:

    • Alexander Beglov, Governor of Saint Petersburg;

    • Alexander Grushko, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation;

    • Alexander Gutsan, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North-West Federal District;

    • Alexander Drozdenko, Governor of Leningrad Region;

    • Paavo Lipponen, Prime Minister of Finland (1995-2003);

    • Markus Ederer, EU Ambassador to the RF;

    to mention but a few.

    Representatives from Russian and European ministries, agencies, regional administrations as well as national and foreign business circles and civil society have been invited to participate in the Forum.

    Forum is organized by the Northern Dimension Business Council and the Association of European Businesses (AEB).

    The working languages of the Forum are English and Russian. Simultaneous translation will be provided.

    More information can be found here.

17. Study on Cultural and Creative Industries Cooperation and Innovation in the Northern Dimension Countries is launched

    It is foreseen that fostering CCI ‘cross innovation’ will be an important element of the new Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture Strategy 2021-2024. Therefore the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) is launching a project, the core of which includes mapping to identify the degree of cross-sectoral cooperation and innovation currently taking place between the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) and other social and economic sectors in the Northern Dimension countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russian Federation and Sweden).

    In the context of this project ‘cross innovation’ refers to a process by which CCIs share information, collaborate and work with other growth sectors to promote new thinking as well as innovative products, services and activities. The focus will be on ‘cross innovation’ between the CCI sector and the digital, economic, environmental, social and education sectors.

    To enrich the ‘cross-innovation’ mapping component, the project will include a process of researching inspiring country case studies and the holding of three thematic workshops (in Norway, Poland and the Russian Federation). Finally policy and related research will seek to identify future CCI inter-sectoral ‘cross innovation’ potential and international opportunities related to the Northern Dimension countries.

    This is a European Commission project with the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) as the beneficiary. It will run from March 2020 to January 2021.

    For more information, please contact Dace Resele, Head of Secretariat, Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (email: dace.resele@ndpculture.org, telephone: +37129136112)

18. Environmental Sustainability: Exploration into Possible Futures

    NORTHERN DIMENSION PARTNERSHIP ON CULTURE: CREATING NEW PRACTICES OF SUSTAINABILITY

    Environmental Sustainability: Exploration into Possible Futures - the project has been postponed to Autumn 2020.

    The group of scientists and artists together will explore contemporary challenges raising from environmental and climatic changes during the research trip from Rovaniemi to Murmansk.  

    A week-long journey from Rovaniemi to Murmansk region will boost a series of topical events which take place in several locations on the way. Exploration into Possible Futures includes artistic research and creative field work, art interventions, openings to new technologies in extreme arctic places, themes and environments. Artists, researchers and other professionals from different fields from several countries around the ND area will collaborate with new colleagues, give their own artistic input to the event and reflect the work of others.

    The project produces collaborative and creative responses to climate change within the environmental, technological and socio-economical context across the Northern Dimension Area.

    Project is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) and  implemented by Arts Promotion Centre Finland in close collaboration with Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland, NDPC and other collaborative partners.

    Contact information: Special adviser Tomi Aho, tel. +358 295 330 850, tomi.aho@taike.fi

    First research trip to Murmansk Inversia -festival, project and collaboration presentations. In the photo: Tomi Knuutila, Panu Johansson, Antti Tenetz & Arttu Nieminen

19. 10th PA Culture Strategic Project Development Workshop

    On 13 and 14 January 2020 the 10th PA-Culture Strategic Project Development Workshop was held in Warsaw. The Workshop was devoted to financial aspects of cultural engagement in the Baltic Sea Region. It provided brainstorming of stakeholders, taking into account key needs, problems and possible solutions. The aim of the Workshop was to present and develop next steps on possible Micro Funding tools as well as sharing good practice examples that are related to such. Any stakeholder from cultural and creative industries was invited to take part in the Workshop. The participants included both policy makers and practitioners. NDPC was also taking part in the event. We truly hope that some of the ideas developed will be implemented in real life in near future.

    Photo gallery from the Workshop:

20. Nordic-Baltic Creative Industries Incubator network meeting and interview with Martin Q Larsson

    In the very end of November the first regional Nordic-Baltic Creative Industries Incubator network meeting - workshop was just launched in Helsinki.

    The meeting was organised within the project “Creating New Practices of Sustainability- Cross-sectorial creativity in the era of climate change” and the focus was on how Creative Industries incubators in Northern Dimension Area could foster sustainable cooperation within institutions and its members.  Participants from all across the Northern Dimension tried answering on questions like - “which areas of creative industries are the most potential for co-operation and what can Incubators offer to their clients? Another important question to be answered was – if the Incubator hub network is an internationally recognized platform for continuing cooperation, how then does the internationalization match with local measures?  

    After the event we had an interesting chat with one of the participants involved in the network project - Martin Q Larsson, director of Creative and Cultural Industries Incubator Klump, Subtopia, Sweden, as well as president of creARTive, the Swedish umbrella organization for culture incubators. The time schedules are hectic now by the end of the year, so we used the Whatsapp services in order to deliver you a short, yet well thought-through express interview that we carried out for almost a week. Here is the transcription of this interview!

    NDPC: Greetings, Martin! Can you tell us about the hottest industry sectors or topics in creative industry incubators in Sweden in 2019?

    MQL: First of all, it’s the grassroots approach that people try to do, and, I believe, it is equal to all sectors and businesses now (downshifting to local, small communities – ed.). That is why I actually would like to use a term “Creative Business” instead of “Creative Industry”. The word “industries” is referred to mass markets, big facilities, and they are more or less non-existent in our context. Second of all, these are businesses “in between”, say, something between circus and crafts, between music and visual arts were very popular last year.

    NDPC: What are your thoughts on the newborn Creative Business Hub? What do you think would be the most important things from what the future participants of the hub would benefit?

    MQL: I think the Nordic/Baltic creative network could be a huge possibility to develop international collaborations between the countries in Nordic Dimension. Another important thing would be the direct link to other countries’ markets and their national or local creative hubs. There would always be someone to talk to, the hubs would help as a base for collaborations - between incubators themselves or between participants/entrepreneurs.

    NDPC:Does it make it different in Northern Dimension to collaborate in comparison to other parts of the world? What is the biggest challenge to collaborate here if there is one?

    MQL: One of the advantages of collaboration in the Northern Dimension is, of course, the geographic vicinity, that you don’t have to cover that many kilometres to meet, and we are all more or less in the same time zones. We all share similar thoughts of important values for citizens and societies; what we feel is important to emphasize. My impression is also that within our region we see many differences between countries and people, but when we meet abroad, in Brussels or New York or Mumbai – we work exactly the same way (and everyone else believes we come from the same place…). Another advantage is that the Nordic collaboration has developed for a long time, so extending it to the other side of the Baltic Sea can build on existing, well-functioning structures: we don’t need to invent the wheel!

    Our largest challenge in collaboration right now is to engage and start doing things together equally. It also means that you have to start doing new things that you are not used to (like using Whatsapp… :). Usually, people already have a lot of things to do already, and even if we all have an intention to collaborate, we have to devote time and effort to it. Learning new things takes more energy than you expect.

    NDPC: Why do you think Creative Business Incubators have been activated and established right at this moment? What defines this age so much they were necessary more than in other decades?

    MQL: Most Swedish creative incubators were established around ten years ago, often due to a regional or municipal focus on creative business and the rise of new business incubators in many sectors. What I understand from many other countries, their incubators started because of the EU funding, but I have too little knowledge of these circumstances, and it differs a lot between countries and regions.

    However, it is clear for us all that incubators could play a much bigger role in our societies, both for the culture sector and for society at large, bringing new perspectives and opportunities to both artists, businesses and society. In the late eighties a German study proved that for each DM (Deutsche Mark – ed.) invested in culture, society got 5 DM back. This model is still valid, but largely forgotten, and it is my belief that incubators could not only be instrumental in bringing the knowledge back, but also upshift this ratio to much higher values for each Euro spent.

    The network meeting and valuable thoughts by Martin showed there are still a lot of opportunities in 2020 for creative business development and practice sharing, but all the hard work will definitely pay off! We are looking forward to see the Hub as a great tool to improving the exchange of know-how, experiences, market insights, contacts and collaborations next year and forever!

    The meeting is funded by Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture.

    Project is implemented by Arts Promotion Centre Finland in close collaboration with Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland, Creative Finland and Nordic Culture Point.