Creative and cultural industries drive real economic growth across Europe, but growth alone isn't the whole story. DISCE set out to answer a harder question: how can the creative economy grow in a way that's genuinely inclusive and sustainable, not just in GDP terms but in human flourishing too?
About the initiative
DISCE was set to improve and enhance the growth, inclusivity and sustainability of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) in the EU. Its objectives were ambitious: to support the development of CCIs across the EU through improved performance indicators; to contribute to the economy through research on career perspectives, skills development, new business models and inclusive growth; and to re-shape understanding of what "inclusive and sustainable growth" means in this context, shifting CCIs and CCI policy towards strategic goals of "cultural development" that encompassed both GDP and human flourishing.
Themes
- CCI identification, mapping and statistics
- Creative careers: from education and skills development to inequalities and activism
- Business models and innovation
- Cultural development
- Policy and stakeholder interaction
Approach
DISCE combined a range of methodologies to maximise its robustness, reach and impact:
- Quantitative mapping and statistical analysis to give a better understanding of the inclusive and sustainable development of CCIs in Europe.
- Case studies providing in-depth understanding of growth, inclusivity and sustainability in specific city-regions, including ten regional case studies across Europe.
- Interactive workshops and co-creation events to engage stakeholders, validate the project's policy relevance, and co-design and co-produce the research for long-term impact.
Partners
The DISCE Consortium brought together academic and stakeholder partners with complementary skills and competencies, joining their knowledge to tackle challenges of the cultural and creative sector from different points of view:
- University of Turku (UTU)
- King's College London (KCL)
- Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI)
- Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE)
- CUMEDIAE, Culture & Media Agency Europe
- Trans Europe Halles (TEH)
Advisory Board: Jarna Heinonen (Chair), Elisa Akola (Secretary), Dr Paolo Veneri, Dr Annick Schramme, Giannalia Cogliandro Beyens, Annette Hill.
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