Unzipping the benefits of Culture in Europe

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Unzipping the benefits of Culture in Europe

• Vladimir Sucha, Director Culture and
  Communication, European Commission
• Brussels, February 2007

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Asked to discuss Harnessing Europes creativity

• Prefer to speak of unzipping creativity
• Zipping and unzipping is what our future is
  about
• Zip our actions together and unzip barriers it
  will make us better than we were.

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Why unzipping is so actual

• Mechanistic and simplistic understanding of
  reality
• Dominance of rationality and analysis resulting
  in egocentric way of life
• Dominance of a linear thinking and not enough
  space for complex systems (like art)

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Why unzipping is so actual

• Non classical science/paradigm
• Complex systems - from physics to psychology
  discoveries of the 20th century
• New understanding of the role of culture and art
  for the life of individuals and society

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Why Creativity

• Creativity creative thinking - creative solving
  of problems (problems of life)
• Our life is a complex system with situations
  which we cannot always solve on the basis of
  algorithms and linear analytical rationality
• Life provokes creation holistic perception,
  synthetic thinking, living imagination

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Creativity unzipping human authenticity

• Human is based on dynamic harmony based on
  natural and spiritual
• Dynamic equilibrium between these two elements
• Creativity as a way of life
• Creativity - unzipped/hidden space inside us

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Creativity future of the society

• Creativity could be applied into
• Social interactions communication
• Human production innovations
• Concept of welfare society

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Creative partnerships

• Project Transmission started off by looking at
  the changing context artists are working in.
• It led to an accreditation for artists working in
  a social settings such as hospitals, prisons and
  youth centres.
• Also contextual analysis of the current
  situation in six participating countries.

9
The Economy of Culture

• The sector is a bigger contributor to economic
  growth than many think
• Culture sector contributes to Innovation,
  Economic growth and Social inclusion

10
European Cultural Capitals

• Effect on cities like Graz and Lille.
• Marked consequences for local economy.
• Social impact is it reaches people who normally
  would not be reached with regular cultural supply.

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Development of creativity is essential

• It all starts with education.
• Creativity must be imbedded in education, without
  that our industry will wither

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What if we dont stimulate creativity

• We will lose our market share
• Others will drain our creative potential
• Our cities will be less interesting places
• There will be more social exclusion

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Culture as a catalyst for creativity, innovation
and growth
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What we propose

• Promote creativity in life-long learning
• Promote capacity building in the cultural sector
• Develop creative partnerships with other sectors
  to reinforce social and economic impact

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A common strategy

• Gather intelligence Evidence-based policy-making
  requires better statistical tools!
• Create tools to measure monitor creativity
• Integrate the Culture Sector into the Lisbon
  agenda
• Carry out structural reforms

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A common strategy

• Invest in creativity and business education
• Reinforce the Internal Market for creative
  people, products and services
• Promote links between creators and between
  creators and technology

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Communication on culture The political ambition

• To affirm the central role of culture within the
  Union,
• Emphasize the contribution of the sector to the
  Lisbon Agenda
• To develop a common agenda for culture in Europe
  leading to new frameworks and methods for
  dialogue and cooperation