Zupiria underlines the reality of international networking in the Basque Country from the Cultural and Creative Industries

• The Minister of Culture and Language Policy participates today in the ECIS23_Bilbao meeting - "Decolonising Innovation - Decolonising the Mind"
• It is a forum to create synergies in the Cultural and Creative Industries, analyse innovation strategies and share their impact on international CCI sectors

The Minister of Culture and Language Policy, Bingen Zupiria, today opened the European Creative Summit 2023 at the Azkuna Zentroa in Bilbao. It is a conference organized by EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology) Culture and Creativity in collaboration with the Basque Government and the Bilbao City Council that has brought together international participants from the Cultural and Creative Industries sector.

The meeting focuses on the "Decolonization of innovation and minds" and aims, as explained by Minister Zupiria, to analyse the framework of future European policies in the CCI sectors both for new policies driven by the CCIs and in the field of prototypes. The meeting also aims to create relationships and dialogue between European representatives and Basque companies in the Cultural and Creative Industries sector and to seek an answer to the opportunities and barriers for Basque companies to participate in European programs.

Zupiria explained that the conference will serve to create synergies in the Cultural and Creative Industries and to analyse innovation strategies as well as to share their impact on international CCI sectors. Zupiria highlighted the public-private collaboration in this field, as well as the coordination effort between the different geographical areas. “This is not always the case and when this type of collaboration occurs in this type of project, it seems to us that it should be highlighted,” said the Minister.

In his speech, Bingen Zupiria explained that Europe is an essential framework for the Basque Country, “both for the Basque Country and for the policies of the Basque Government and, therefore, for cultural policies. The stakeholders present in the public cultural system are also betting on Europe. The Cultural and Creative Industries are there too, looking towards Europe”.

On the other hand, the opening meeting of the Policy Club of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology Culture and Creativity was held as part of this conference. This Policy Club brings together, for the first time in the next three years, representatives who will work to promote the potential in the Cultural and Creative sectors in all policy areas. Its aim is to promote innovation in policies and administrations. Participating in this first meeting as Basque members of the Policy Club are the Department of Culture and Language Policy of the Basque Government, the City Council of Bilbao through Bilbao Ekintza and the Gaia Cluster through the Cultural and Creative District of the Basque Country. Minister Bingen Zupiria confirmed that the Basque Government aims to “reinforce the project with our experience and knowledge”.