The DISCE Project, of which CUMEDIAE is a partner, keeps traveling around Europe to investigate the dynamics of cultural and creative economies in specific case study city-regions, providing in-depth understanding of issues of growth, inclusivity and sustainability.

On November 20th-21st DISCE and its Stockholm School of Economics in Riga reserachers, brought the Community Forum format to Liepāja, Latvia. These events give the possibility to CCIs professionals and stakeholders living in the same area to meet and confront, creating an environment that also enables potential collaboration.

“We were glad to greet people representing diverse relations to creative community and occupations–artists, representatives of arts and sports organisations, tourism agency, activists, local municipality representatives, creative entrepreneurs, researchers and teachers” comments Inga Gleidzane, lecturer in Stockholm School of Economics in Riga and researcher for DISCE.

“During the forum the participants shared the goals and mission of their activities and identified assets that support their effort. These aspects are interlinked more than we initially thought, and more could be achieved in terms of quality, quantity, creativity and satisfaction if they would cooperate, and create and execute activities together

Next week (2nd-5th December) DISCE will return to Enschede to build on the contacts and knowledge that it developed during the last visit in October.

Researchers will be conducting interviews with stakeholders including creative and cultural workers, policymakers, educators and audiences, and a Community Forum will be held on Tuesday 3rd, at the Assyrische Mesopotamische Vereniging Enschede (AMVE) Community Centre.

Tamsyn Dent, DISCE researcher from King’s College London: “This is a great opportunity to engage with more citizens of Enschede to talk about their participation in creative activity, and we’re looking forward to developing relationships and extending our knowledge of Enschede’s creative economy”