EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVES

Together with the Saxon State Ministry for Regional Development KreativLandTransfer // European Perspectives strengthens rural regions and facilitates European knowledge transfer.

Throughout Europe, we find successful cooperations between the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in rural regions. Their innovative and cross-sectoral approaches are presented on this platform.

Know-how report

Innovation through cooperation

CCI x SME

Profiles

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INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATION

Based on the evaluation of the listings, the following learnings with regard to cross-industry cooperation between CCIs and SMEs in rural regions can be put forward:

Location

Rural regions are not perceived as an obstacle by stakeholders, but often even as an advantage (lower location costs, less competition, deceleration, etc.). Any infrastructural disadvantages in rural areas are often fully compensated by the strategically useful linking of competencies within the framework of cross-sector cooperation.

Establishing contact

Cross-industry collaboration between CCIs and SMEs primarily begins through direct contact or through jointly attended workshops or events. It can therefore be concluded that the partners involved make very conscious and targeted contact with each other.

Network

Successful collaborations require active and early networking that extends beyond the cooperation partners involved. This increases success and acceptance in the region and ensures long-term cooperations.

Joint goals

Cross-industry collaborations are mainly initiated in order to jointly drive innovation and development, to combine expertise and to improve the quality of products and services through cooperation. The longevity of the collaborations also shows that these joint goals are sustainable.

Regional added value

None of the collaborations pursue purely sales-oriented goals. They are always driven by an idealistic background, which most often focuses on increasing the attractiveness of the location. Many collaborations also pursue the goals of improving the regional infrastructure, creating an an attractive (cultural) touristic offer or attracting and retaining skilled workers for the region. This results in positive influences of cross-industry cooperation for the respective regions.

Challenges

A lack of experience and time, challenging day-to-day business, fear of contact and a lack of networking, workshop, consulting and financing offers in the area of cross-sector cooperation primarily prevent SME actors from working together with the CCI across sectors. In addition, it was often mentioned that patience, openness and time are needed in the start-up phase for the cooperation to be profitable. However, if the partners involved show this willingness, the collaborations are quickly perceived as essential and enriching.

Financial aspects

Due to the lack of or unknown funding opportunities for cooperation between SMEs and CCIs, the start of cooperation often involves additional investment in the form of money, time and personnel for the partners involved. Although these investments pay off in the long run, they represent a hurdle for the start of a joint project.

The following graphics illustrate the basic findings of all the collaborations presented on the KreativLand Transfer – European Perspectives website:

Advice for SMEs

According to the stakeholders surveyed, cross-industry cooperation with the CCI should be characterised by openness, perseverance and the courage to think outside the box. Collaboration with stakeholders from the CCI should also always be considered a long-term cooperation. This is the only way to achieve strategic goals and tangible synergies.

Cooperation partners from the CCI should always be trusted and given all the necessary insights into their own company, including its processes and goals. Conclusion: A project will only be a success if both sides meet as equal partners.

It is also important to have a regular, possibly moderated exchange during the collaboration. In this way, expectations and the respective work status can be realistically compared and strategically important partners can be integrated into the joint cooperation at an early stage.

Advice for politicians and local authorities

Support and advisory services for cross-industry cooperation as well as corresponding events are perceived by the stakeholders surveyed as useful for bringing together and informing representatives from CCIs and SMEs. Advice on possible financing concepts for joint cooperation is also in high demand. Municipal administrations, but also business development agencies and employees of the LEADER program could provide closely interlinked support here. However, the prerequisite for this is that these institutions really know the SMEs and stakeholders in the respective region and are able to establish specific networks.

There were many conversations with local representatives thoughout this research. Although representatives showed great interest in the regional CCI their knowledge about it seemed rather limited. Addressing this imbalance would be an important prerequisite for providing better advice.

It would also be worthwhile to create general incentives for cross-industry cooperation between SMEs and CCIs in order to support the creation of regional value chains and attractive (cultural) tourism offers as well as the improvement of regional infrastructure and to promote the recruitment and retention of skilled workers.

The appropriate remuneration of creative work with corresponding minimum level and the appreciation of creative work processes should also be topics that are actively addressed by politicians and the administration and incorporated into corresponding funding offers.

Closing remarks

Cross-industry cooperation between CCIs and SMEs offers enormous potential for synergies, networking and value creation – for rural areas and beyond. These special forms of cooperation lay the foundations for innovation through constant and dynamic teamwork and often combine traditions with modern approaches. In this way, not only products and services are created but so are jobs and regions get shaped for the future.

Nevertheless, cross-industry collaborations between CCIs and SMEs are still lighthouse projects and pioneer work. It is worth investing in these, even if this form of cooperation requires more courage, openness, trust, time and patience than solutions that are sought purely within the company in the traditional way.

Support, advice, promotion and appreciation are therefore the elements that cross-industry collaborations between CCIs and SMEs will need more than ever in the future in order to develop, establish themselves and be accepted both internally and externally. Innovation is created through cooperation in which all participants learn from each other. In conclusion, cross-industry cooperation between the cultural and creative industries and small and medium-sized enterprises has the potential to open up positive and creative spaces in rural regions for years to come.

CONCEPT: INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATION

CCI meets SME: Your profiles

Have you been or are you part of a cross-sector collaboration? You can use the online form to fill in a profile of your cooperation and be inspired by other examples from the European regions.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR COLLABORATION!