LSG #1 in Greece by the Region of Central Macedonia and KEPA

The 1st meeting with the local stakeholders of the CCSI4CCSI project, co-organized by the Region of Central Macedonia and the Business and Cultural Development Centre (KEPA) at the premises of the Hellenic Design Center on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, was completed with great success.

This first networking event of the project entitled "Strengthening the Ecosystem of the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries" aimed to bring creative and cultural actors together to discuss the opportunities offered by the CCSI4CCSI project, so that through inter-regional knowledge exchange, to highlight the dynamics of the Cultural and Creative Sector in the relevant policy instruments, in order to achieve the long-term systematic support of the sector. 

A total of 26 people representing 14 different organisations took part in this meeting.  After the introductions and the general presentation of the project CCSI4CCSI - Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries for Collaboration, Competitiveness, Sustainability and Innovation, the participants had the opportunity to present in an interactive way the organisations they represent in terms of their main activity and their contribution to the creative ecosystem, while they also proceeded with a "self-evaluation" of their organisations in relation to the five main thematic pillars of the CCSI4CCSI project (New technologies and digital transformation, Environmental sustainability and circular economy, Production of social impact, Synergies with other sectors and organisations, Networking and support of creative professionals). Then, the recent experience of participating in the 1st Exchange of Experience of the project in Krakow – Poland was shared, with an emphasis on good practices, followed by identifying good practices at local level.

Afterwards, Dimitris Kaboukos, project manager of BEDA (Bureau of European Design Associations) took the floor to present "Emerging needs & challenges of the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries: Upskilling and reskilling towards the triple transition of CCSI" and - more specifically - the European industrial strategy, the European Skills Agenda, the Large-scale skills partnership for the Cultural and Creative Industries Ecosystem and the Pact for Skills.

At the closing part of the meeting, reference was made to the next actions foreseen in the context of the project. The participants agreed to keep communication channels open with each other and renewed their appointment for the next semester.