Background: the CreArt project
CreArt -Network of Cities for Artistic Creation- is a project launched in 2012 under
the Culture Programme of the European Union (2007-2013). It gathers 13 cities
from 10 European countries
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and has as a main objective to enhance artistic
creativity and maximise the economic, social and cultural contribution of visual arts
in the member cities.
The network aims at facilitating conditions for artists, managers, the cultural industry
and the general public to create as well as to access training and education through
seminars, artists in residence programmes, workshops, research and analysis.
CreArt partners share the common objective to promote, on the basis of their local
reality, a competitive offer in the European and international creative industries sector.
From a variety of cultures and contexts, and based on public-private partnerships,
CreArt works towards coordinated policies, actions and working methods, a
common sense of belonging and a shared position on the value of artistic creation
across its European network.
Cities and institutions of the network have put in place different actions to encourage
cultural exploration and foster exchanges of knowledge and experience on artistic
practice, innovative art managing models, art literacy and outreach between artists,
cultural operators and policy makers. Ultimately this peer-learning process will not
only contribute to increase the network’s cultural assets, but will help to have a better
understanding of the impact of artistic promotion in the local ecosystem.
Objective of the study
CreArt has commissioned KEA to undertake this “Study on the contribution of
artistic creation to local development” and to provide recommendations on tailored
measures to be implemented by local actors in small/medium cities and European
policymakers. The report builds from a number of initiatives designed and
implemented by European small and medium-sized cities (SMSC) involved in the
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The following cities are involved in the CreArt project: Arad (RO), Harghita (RO), Kaunas (LT),Vilnius
(LT), Genoa (IT), Lecce (IT), Delft (NL), Valladolid (ES), Aveiro (PT), Linz (AT), Kristiansand (NO) and
Pardubice (CZ). Zagreb (CR) became part of the network in December 2013.
