Zurich Centre for Creative Economies researches "Entrepreneurial Strategies" in the European think tank CIRCE (Creative Impact Research Centre Europe)
The Creative Impact Research Centre Europe (CIRCE) is a European think tank that focuses on the question of how policy can support the cultural and creative industries and strengthen their impact in Europe. CIRCE uses practice-oriented science for this purpose: Five research labs (Berlin, London, San Sebastian, Tallinn, Zurich) analyze proven strategies across Europe as well as possible new ways of changing the political framework (policy making) so that creative innovation in Europe can develop in the best possible way.
As one of five research labs, the Zurich Centre for Creative Economies (ZCCE) is pursuing the development of individual measures with a focus on "entrepreneurial strategies" to strengthen the creative economies and their impact in Europe. Nine researchers from inside and outside the ZHdK were involved in six sub-projects. In addition to its research work, the ZCCE also mentored nine young creatives and researchers from all over Europe.
In six sub-projects, both close to the creative actors and looking at the entire creative economies from a macro perspective, the researchers came to the following conclusions:
- We do not need four-year strategic plans, but ongoing strategic processes.
- We do not need ex-ante determinations of results, but rather "risky projects".
- We do not need a narrow understanding of resources in terms of financial means, but a holistic view that includes values, governance and stakeholders.
That is why we must:
- rethink the concept of strategy in the creative economies: by focusing more on the actual (strategic) practices of the actors and how they manage to keep adapting to the (changing) conditions for developing something new (entrepreneurial).
- Think beyond the boundaries of established submarkets and activate interfaces with other sectors that deal with desirable futures for Europe.
- Rethink governance processes to adequately reflect the dynamics of the creative industries, developing increasingly open and risk-taking funding strategies.
- Redefine assessment and evaluation systems to measure the impact of the creative industries.
The results of the ZCCE's work within CIRCE can be found in the attached final report.