2nd Mediterranean Creative Economy Conference

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18th November 2022 13:30-15:00

2nd Mediterranean Creative Economy Conference

The Mediterranean Creative Economy Forum will offer a platform for participants to exchange ideas, resolve challenges and identify opportunities within the creative economy. The event will be structured in sessions tackling topics that collectively define the future of the regional creative economy, including: education, labour, technology transformation, sustainability, inclusivity and diversity.

As part of its incoming initiatives, ASCAME is working on the New Mediterranean Creative Economy strategy, which aims to double the contribution of creative industries to the region’s GDP by 2028. The strategy intends to boost the number of incubators and technology hubs within Mediterranean’s creative spaces while creating a new method of measuring the creative economy’s impact through the ‘creative economy classification and measurement framework’. Through these initiatives, the strategy aims to double the number of creative companies and individual creators and, in turn, achieve the vision of making the Mediterranean “a global HUB for the creative economy”, unlocking a new set of possibilities in creative-related fields, such as architecture and transport, among others.

Introduction

The audiovisual sector is a key factor in the promotion of cultural diversity at local and international levels. Mediterranean audiovisual products currently suffer from a chronic lack of media coverage, with the general public, of course, but above all, with the professional public that could buy, distribute, broadcast and co-produce the Mediterranean-produced television shows and films. This is why we must encourage the emergence and the networking of professional associations.

At the time of the transition towards a mixed system in the audiovisual sector and in view of the creation of a common regional market and of a Euro-Mediterranean market, the role professional associations can play is becoming fundamental.

We’re entering a period in the regional and world economy where creative work is of increasing importance. Imagination is playing a role like never before and so two central questions emerge: what are the sources of creativity? And what does it mean to construct a creative life?

Acknowledging that the creative economy generates socio-economic benefits for all, both directly and indirectly, the Mediterranean Creative economy agenda sets out specific Creative Economy Benefits, including: that the creative economy should be prioritised amongst governments and that policy and regulations affecting creatives should address all potential barriers that could hinder their economic participation through proactive policymaking within government bodies.

The region’s creative potential growth and opportunities for collaboration are gigantic. We will hear how greater accessibility into the creative economy can be achieved, locally and regionally – with a perspective on why seeking careers within creative economy is beneficial.

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Key words

Economic development, design, audiovisual, creativity, education, inclusion and diversity, sustainability, technology, media and communications landscape, clusters, infrastructure, funding

Rasmus Wiinstedt Tscherning

Founder & CEO, Creative Business Network (CBN)

Luki Huber

Founder & CEO, Luki Huber Studio/ Manual Thinking Academy

Mayte Hidalgo

Head of Data & AI, Mediapro Group

Franc Ponti

Neurocreativiy Expert, EADA Business School

Miquel Rutllant

President, Clúster Audiovisual de Catalunya

Dr. Sevay Ipek AYDIN

Professor, Izmir University of Economics, Creative Economy Research and Application Center

Hashim S. Hussein

Head, UNIDO Bahrain

Wael El-Desouki Bedda

Founding Director, AAST Entrepreneurship Center, Egypt

High-level stakeholders will open the Conference and introduce their shared ambition to explore the potential of the Mediterranean region’s creative economy for a collective, cohesive and thriving society.

This session will present perspectives on the advancement of the cultural and creative industries (CCI) as a formalised economy, with snapshots of the local and global impact of the creative economy, considering its vast future potential. The session will capture the key elements needed for sustainable growth of CCI for generations to come.

Key topics of discussion:

- Now and Next: evolution through the creative economy in the Mediterranean region.
- Challenges, strategies and responses of the creative economy post COVID-19. We will get to listen to creatives who navigated the obstacles of the pandemic with wit and purpose.
- How can creative economy in the Mediterranean be strengthened?
- How can its contribution to economic development, regional collaboration and social inclusion be consolidated?
- What lessons have been learned to strengthen social and economic inclusion, in order to identify and reproduce public practices and policies in the region?
- The impact and resilience of creatives within Mediterranean countries. We will hear how the pandemic affected their practices and shaped their creative output.
- Financial Support and access to finance, to encourage and sustain the development of creative economy and entrepreneurship, especially SMES, to ensure their full participation within the formal economy

Gain first-hand insight into the Mediterranean creative economy regarding digitalisation and climatechange: what are the problems and responses?
If cultivated in the right way, the creative economy can contribute to positive social change. Beyondmonetary value, the creative economy offers benefits by fostering entrepreneurship and culturaldiversity in developing countries. Moreover, organisations around the world have tackled genderinequality as a priority to ensure economic sustainability, with local artisans proving to be a drivingforce for change in communities.
Fuelled by digital transformation, rapid urbanisation and a dominant younger demographic, theMediterranean region has seen accelerated growth of creative industries, with the growing contributionof creative industries to the regional and global economy.
This session will explore the potential for content creation to tell stories about sustainability: storiesthat shine a light on problems and solutions, educating and inspiring people and governments to act ina more sustainable manner.

Key Points for discussion:

How quickly are countries and organisations recognising the relationship between creativity and sustainability?
How can we ensure sustainable creative economy supply chains that help promote environmental goals of the 2030?
Enabling creative youth expression through environmental sustainability
Inclusivity & Diversity: the importance of preserving heritage to promote a healthy and sustainable future.
Tools for technology transformation
The importance of facilitating creative clusters and entrepreneurial ecosystems through the right policies and infrastructure.