Lund University and partners have been awarded a grant of M € 7 from the European Commission to develop innovation policies for the cultural and creative industries. New innovation policies are needed to support ecosystems in the sector with better access to funding and incubators so that more ideas can be realised.
Complex innovation processes with many actors involved involve experimentation, testing and exploration of ideas. With the support of an entire ecosystem of large and small companies, institutions, organisations, researchers, and citizens, it will be easier to test new concepts, attract investors and get new companies and businesses up and running more quickly.
"The cultural and creative industries are very important both as creators of meaning and for the transformation that needs to take place across the world. There is a great need for new policies for innovation, and this important EU project will make good use of research and expertise in innovation at Lund University and our strategic investment in culture and creative industries", says Erik Renström, Vice-Chancellor of Lund University.
The Creatives need other forms of support
The principles underpinning how innovation is funded and evaluated are still based on almost 20-year-old thinking and are more suited to the tech industry. In the cultural and creative sector and industries, CCSI, innovation takes place in other ways and in networks with many stakeholders. One way to track activities in such ecosystems is through LIEPT, the Lund Model for Innovation Ecosystem Portfolio Tracking.
"Good support mechanisms for these networks and open ecosystems are lacking. The project ekip, European Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Policy Platform, aims to change this. We will apply the LIEPT model to facilitate open innovation for the 40 industry networks we represent and be able to track the development of portfolios in innovation ecosystems", says project coordinator Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth, Lund University.
The project consortium includes 17 partners, bringing a wide range of expertise from different European universities, cultural institutes, creative hubs and experts in innovation policies and urban development. Rotterdam and Bratislava and a few other partner cities will be testbeds for the policies developed during the project.
New policies key to green transformation
One example where ekip's innovation policy platform, a so-called policy engine, can be used is for digital product passports. All products in the EU should be traceable to determine whether they have been produced in a responsible and sustainable way. Here, the ekip policy engine can make suggestions on how local innovation ecosystems can use policies to support the development of new textiles and clothing that have ID tags with information. This enables circular processes and recycling in new ways. Thus, innovation in CCSI contributes to drive the green transformation in Europe.
"With Lund University as the main responsible for ekip, we will become a key player in Europe's cultural and creative industries and be at the forefront of the development of ideas for innovation in the area. This strengthens our image as a cultural university", says Anna Lyrevik, advisor for Arts and Culture to the Vice-Chancellor.
