KEA study commissioned in the run-up to European Year of Creativity and Innovation

The European Commission has assigned a study on the contribution of culture to individual and collective creativity to KEA (Kern European Affairs). The study will focus on ways to promote the specific role of creators and creative industries in fostering individual creativity and social innovation. Policy recommendations based on the research are to be included in the report due in February 2009, at the beginning of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation.
The European Year of Innovation and Creativity has been conceived as a cross-cutting initiative covering not only education and culture, but also other policy domains such as enterprise, media, research, social and regional policy, and rural development.

The focus of the Year is on all forms of innovation, including social and entrepreneurial innovation, and highlighting creativity in domains ranging from mathematics to technology as to foster problem-solving skills and practical application of knowledge and ideas. It is emphasised that the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue will be followed up within the actions of this new European Year.

The objective of the Year is to provide an impetus to creativity and innovation as long-term priorities for the European Union. The proposal for the Year still needs to be endorsed by the Council and the European Parliament at the end of this year.

Culture Action Europe will use its chairmanship of the working group on the interface between artistic creation and industries (within the dialogue platform on ‘the potential of the cultural and creative industries’) to crystallise reflections on the not-for-profit arts’ synergies and contradiction with the cultural industries agenda and to prepare to highlight the many assets it can provide to tomorrow’s creative economy.