Social economy enterprises and cultural creative industries (event)

The activities of both social enterprises and creative cultural industries have a multiplier effect, which brings cultural, social and economic benefits for the community. They contribute to growth, employment and GDP, and are a vehicle for social and economic cohesion across Europe. Like social enterprises, the cultural and creative sectors have a strong territorial dimension, and DIESIS believes that a synergy between social enterprises and creative cultural industries can reap local benefits in cultural, social and economic terms for the community. DIESIS conducted a survey on how social economy enterprises contribute to cultural and creative industries. It mapped existing good practices of social economy enterprises involved in creative cultural industries in five European countries (Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Scotland).

On the occasion of the Second European Vocational Skills Week, DIESIS organised a workshop “Clusters! Social Economy Enterprises and Cultural and Creative Industries”  with the involvement of DG GROW, DG EAC, the EESC and social economy and creative cultural industries experts, local authorities and policy-makers. DIESIS presented the first outcomes of the survey and discussed how social economy enterprises contribute to cultural and creative industries and how together they are fostering spatial and sectorial clusters, and taking an ecological approach to cultural cooperation and territorial development.  The first part of the event was dedicated to a discussion of clusters and their contribution to developing the creative cultural sector. The second part focused on alternative models of social economy organisations in creative cultural industries, how social economy enterprises contribute to the sector, and what skills are needed to make a success of this combination.

The workshop took place at the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels on 24 November 2017.