"We decided to contribute to the CEA because the creative economy sector’s marked by a lack of truly close cooperation within the sector itself, between sectors and at the regional level," explained Grete Kodi from the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia. "We can see that a lot of potential’s going unused. We’re looking into how best to build up different parts of the ecosystem within the creative economy sector as a whole and how to get them working together so that it brings tangible benefits to the Nordic countries and Baltic States."
To this end, the organisers behind the CEA are creating a knowledge-sharing and learning platform from which those involved gain both theoretical and practical experience in the areas of creativity and innovation. The programme includes interactive lessons, practical workshops (TeamLabs), study trips and lectures by internationally renowned specialists: Ragnar Siil, Rasmus Wiinstedt-Tscherning, Charles Landry, Marco Steinberg and Peter Kelly.
Kodi says that there has also been substantial interest in the CEA from outside of the Nordic-Baltic region, for example from Ukraine, Georgia and Portugal. "Which shows that there’s a great deal of interest in the policy-shaping and policy systems of the creative economy that have worked so well in the Nordic countries to date," she said, adding that the CEA will provide the right stimulus for the expansion of international network and reach.
Registration for the CEA is still open, but the number of places is limited (to 30 people). You can find out more about the CEA, browse the programme and speaker bios and investigate the TeamLabs here.