Helsingborg, Sweden – On June 12, 2024, the Dunkers Kulturhus, in the Swedish city of Helsingborg, became a hub for collaboration as it hosted the Collective Intelligence Workshop for EU-funded projects. Organized by ECBN/CreativeFED in the framework of the European Creative Economy Conference (ECEC2024) and the SACCORD project, the event brought together a group of partners and coordinators of EU projects aimed at developing cultural and creative industries (CCIs) across Europe.
The participating projects were: SACCORD, Cyanotypes, CRAFT-IT4SD, PACESETTERS, GreenCCIrcle, Label4Future, AV Growth and Tracks 4 Crafts.
Among the notable projects present at the workshop was the CRAFT-IT4SD project, represented by Marianne Ping Huang and Adriënne Heijnen from Aarhus University. It was highlighted the vital role of sustainable practices in the creative industries and provided valuable insights into how traditional craftsmanship can be adapted to contemporary challenges, thus enriching the collaborative efforts of the workshop.
The primary aim of this workshop was to foster synergies and provide a platform for peer-to-peer learning among the participating projects. The workshop began with a round of presentations, where each project introduced their objectives, key activities, and expected outcomes. This was followed by a discussion around common areas of interest, which encompassed a wide range of topics: skills development, the green, digital, and societal transitions, as democracy, crafts, innovation and knowledge transmission, among others.
In addition to group discussions, there was dedicated time for bilateral conversations among workshop participants. This provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions on specific opportunities for collaboration among their respective projects, allowing for more targeted and practical exchanges.
By facilitating open discussions, interactive sessions, and collaborative activities, the workshop sought to enhance the collective intelligence of the group, enabling participants to share best practices, innovative ideas, and strategic insights to strengthen the impact and sustainability of their respective initiatives. The participants valued this first workshop as a valuable opportunity to connect and expressed strong interest in establishing a roadmap for future meetings and continuous exchange, aiming to build a more cohesive and collaborative network within the cultural and creative industries sector.
