Creative Growth
The Creative Growth project was initiated by the Östergötland region (SE) and is based on previous experiences and needs among the partners for successful cluster development of the creative sector.The aim of the project is to contribute to European competitiveness and accelerate regional economic growth through the development of the creative sector as a new business sector and influence policy development on regional and local level by mainstreaming new knowledge and good practice into the policy making process.The following objectives will be achieved: 1.Improved and more effective policies on regional and local level through evidence-based policy making 2.Improved business support services and solutions for the creative sector 3. Increased knowledge on how creativity can be a catalyst for increased regional competitiveness.The partnership consists of 11 partners from SE, DK, UK, LT, HU, ES, IT, RO and BG.The activities in the project are divided into 3 parts: Part 1 - A limited
mapping of the creative sector carried out in each region by using a joint set of standards and a joint interregional analysis carried out with comparisons between the regions based on the regional mapping. Part 2 -  Benchmarking on business support services and solutions through exchange of experiences in thematic working groups on topics such as access to finance, support structures, cluster development, incubator facilities etc. Part 3 - Interregional thematic seminars hosted by different partner regions- focusing on creativity as a catalyst for increased regional competitiveness.A very limited part of the project consists of three pilot cases where business support solutions with three different approaches will be tested in a new way by pooling joint experiences ("traditional" business support services,virtual incubator and physical environments for SMEs).The main result of the project will be improved policy making processes on regional and local level by adopting evidence-based
policy making (i.e. policy making based on new facts, knowledge and exchange of experiences), the creation of a European Network of Creative regions for long-term collaboration, and increased knowledge about the sector among key stakeholders. The project will also result in increased numbers of business support services and solutions tailor made for SMEs in the creative sector and higher quality of the services provided by business support actors. The project will generate a wide range of activities for exchange of good practice and dissemination, such as conferences, seminars, working groups, joint training sessions, workshops, reports and recommendations for regional/local activity plans for each partner region in order to take the next step in boosting the creative sector.The interregional exchange of experiences, joint learning and dissemination of good practice is the interregional added value and the project result will contribute to increased European competitiveness.