PHOTO: TRANSMEDIA © ANNA TITOVETS
We partner British and Portuguese artists and organisations. We help to share business models, best practice, and new working methodologies. We also work with policy-makers and government organisations to find shared solutions to global challenges.
Our work focusses on three areas, Creative Entrepreneurship, Cultural Leadership, and Policy Development:
Creative Entrepreneurship
Creative entrepreneurs bridge the gap between artists and audiences. Ranging from book publishers to music promoters, from film producers to interactive games developers and much in between, the creative entrepreneur is key in defining what culture we consume and how we do so. In a changing market, they play a vital role in developing innovative business models of production and distribution, while they highlight the economic, cultural and often social benefits in doing so.
Cultural Leadership
What’s the role of culture in our complex and rapidly changing societies? Can culture play a role in wider social issues such as foreign policy, international relations, economic regeneration and social conflict and inclusion? The British Council seeks to engage the new generation of cultural leaders with key stakeholders around the world in the development of common strategies to tackle global cultural issues.
Policy Development
Effective policy-making is essential for the development of a sustainable and competitive creative economy. The development of any creative economy develops is shaped by a series of government interventions, such as IP regulations, tax regimes and education policies. The British Council recognises that the creative economy is both a global and local phenomenon, and we promote the discussion and sharing of appropriate initiatives and perspectives. We help to build dialogue at local, regional and international levels in order to develop more sustainable and more relevant policy making.
Creative Hubs EU
The European Creative Hubs Network (ECHN) is a project co-funded by the European Commission, led by the British Council in partnership with a consortium of European creative hubs:
- Bios in Greece
- Addict in Portugal
- betahaus in Germany
- Kulturni Kod/Nova Iskra in Serbia
- Creative Edinburgh in the UK
- Factoria Cultural in Spain, and
- the European Business Network (EBN).
ECHN helps the development and growth of the creative and cultural sector by supporting the subsistence and growth of creative hubs in Europe. This creates a community of experienced creative hubs leaders across Europe from a variety of sectors, and promotes the idea of hubs as innovative models to support the creative economy in Europe.
Through this project, Creative Hubs managers from Europe can connect with peers and gain access to a community of hubs. They can visit and learn from creative hubs across Europe, they can exchange best practice and strengthen their skills, as well as learn about successful and sustainable business models.