Creative Hub of Patras
About this good practice
● Patras holds every year a series of events, among which the Patras’ Carnival Festival co-financed also by RWG (Axis4 of the Regional Action Plan/RAP). CCIs’ however had no “shelter”. A joint project proposal has been elaborated by RWG & Patras Municipality to provide both the missing building infrastructure and the missing CCIs’ policy support. The project benefited from GR-IT funding for the renovation of the old slaughterhouses of Patras at the forefront of policy support aiming to set up a Creative Hub to promote local cultural creativity. The 2.200m2 building, situated in a large complex area of 10.000m2 was built in 1903 and declared “Work of Art” by the Ministry of Culture; it operated as a leisure centre under private investors from 2006 till 2012, practically abandoned ever since.
● The main implementation tool was a series of targeted calls within the GR-IT project, along with a sustained communication campaign to early engage with local stakeholders and local CCIs. These set the basis for structured policy support.
● 3 are the main stakeholders, with complementary roles within the local practice: RWG, Municipality of Patras, and Achaia Chamber of Commerce. Beneficiaries are local CCIs and the general public. Specific target groups have been also addressed, through activities of significant added value for the local cultural sector, as the ones related to the Patras’ Carnival.
Resources needed
1,4 M€ provided by the GR-IT CBC project for the setup of the whole Patras’ Creative Hub and not just for the building renovation works. Upon completion, additional funding (>4 M€) has been secured through the Recovery Fund/RF project number 2023ΤΑ01400046.
Evidence of success
Upon completion of the GR-IT project, RWG secured additional funding (RF) for the Patras’ Creative Hub to pursue operation, upgrading regional support (Axis 4 of RAP) into an explicit CCIs’ policy action. Figures below, demonstrate local uptake, 1 year after the initial GR-IT CBC project closure:
> 30 workshops for CCIs
> 80 cultural events
> 120 activities for schools
Patras’ Mayor used above success to justify membership to the network of “Intercultural cities programme” of the CoE.
Potential for learning or transfer
(a) Relevance: “Patras’ Creative Hub” stands for local CCIs’ support, structured upon completion of GR-IT project.
(b) Impact: restauration & safeguard of an historic, yet abandoned building allowed for:
1) regeneration of the wider area and adjacent coastal zone.
2) housing local CCIs
3) local uptake: > 60.000 people visited the hub till 08/2023
(c) Replicability lies with a shared and jointly elaborated (by the region, the city and CCIs’ representatives) project linking up the CCIs’ needs with local and regional potential (funds & resources).
(d) Sustainability secured by RWG via 1) a new RF project 2) a new GR-IT project (currently under evaluation) 3) RIS3 of RWG and the corresponding CCI sector where thematic linkages will be considered along with Patras’ Creative Hub results’ upgrade.
(e) Innovation lies in successfully upgrading local CCIs’ support into the regional scale.
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Good practice owner
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