Economía Creativa wishes you a happy World Creativity & Innovation Day 2022!

Digital event conceptualised, designed and curated by

Antonio Carlos Ruiz Soria

Justyna Molendowska-Ruiz

Cover designed by

Justyna Molednowska-Ruiz

On 21 April we celebrate the World Creativity and Innovation Day! – as it was designated by the UN in 2017. As every year, we take the invitation and pledge of the UN to all stakeholders to celebrate this day and raise awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in problem solving and in economic, social and sustainable development. 

We strongly believe in the universality of creativity. As we advocate in our Manifesto for a Creativity and Sustainable Living (which we invite you to read and sign), we believe that everyone is creative without exception; every person can create, invent, try things, make mistakes and (key to success) try again – only by the ‘trial and error principle’ people invent great things. The importance is not to give up when something doesn’t work out the first time. Anyway, haven’t we had a lot of fun doing it? That’s the point, isn’t it? To incorporate this pinch of fun into what we do; it drives us to act. So whatever it is – from making morning coffee and the way we create the atmosphere for it, to analysing complex data at work and the way we visually present it to the team! So, for the sake of it, let’s create, invent, improve, let’s be sometimes ridiculous and absurd, let’s use our imagination, and have a lot of fun doing it. Albert (vel Genius) Einstein could not be wrong when he said: “Creativity is intelligence having fun” or more bluntly, Plato: “live as play”.

Manifesto for a Creative Society and Sustainable Living

So, let’s celebrate creativity! Because, what could be greater than celebrating your own imagination, curiosity, eagerness, passion and creative abilities- since everyone has them! 

No more daily repetition. Instead, it’s time to open up this creative basin, no matter how deep it is in your mind, and try to become a part of making the world a better place!

Join us! We have specially curated for you an exciting programme of activities and content for everyone (that you can explore below), from all walks of life, and in every context, whether at work/learning, at home or in the leisure time. 

Have fun and have a great creative day!

We invite you to share and comment using the official hashtag #WCID #WCID2022 and #economiacreativa and tagging us at Economia Creativa Instagram

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Ready?

Economía Creativa Programme of Activities for #WCID2022

21 April 2022 / Open to everyone for free, at anytime, anywhere! Join us!

• 1. New MOOC course: Creative Sustainability – Expert Lab  

  We are thrilled to launch on this very special day the MOOC Creative Sustainability – Expert Lab Activating the role of Nature in the Creative Process for a Sustainable Transformation. This course is for professionals – and, of course, everyone interested!– with an active interest embracing sustainability as a mindset to foster a sustainable transformation in a practical and tangible way. Whether you work in the public or private sector, a corporation or start-up, this course will give you the skills to generate and implement innovative ideas to embed creative sustainability into business and organizational models, services and products design and into your very own creative lifestyle.

  As a special offer to celebrate World Creativity and Innovation Day, join the course for free until 15 May 2022! More info and to start the course in the link below.

  Creative Sustainability – Expert Lab.

  Enrol
• 2. Creativity, Problem Solving and Wellbeing

  Nowadays we all face a myriad of challenges and constant uncertainty. That is why we need more than ever to nurture our creativity to enhance our wellbeing and develop new ways to solve problems and obstacles. 

  We have extensively applied creativity to problem solving in many use cases, workshops, seminars, essays and articles. We invite you to watch the impulse presentation: Creativity for Problem Solving and Wellbeing (15 min) by Antonio Carlos

  If you feel more like reading, we’re sure that you’ll enjoy the essay: Creativity for People and Organisations Wellbeing  jointly written by Justyna & Antonio Carlos.

  Creativity for People and Organization’s Wellbeing

• 3. Craft to your very one Creative Lifestyle

  For a perfect work-life balance, to live mindfully, we invite you to explore our explore the Creative Lifestyle content wonderfully curated by Justyna in which we provide step-by-step guidelines about how to design your very one creative lifestyle and apply creativity to make your daily life more meaningful and joyful, in all aspects, while developing key skills (every more precious and demanded)  from time management, to working in hybrid models and co-creating with teams, etc. to mindful activities such creatine rituals, make your own, grow your own, etc.

  Listen podcast by curator of the project, Justyna, introducing Creative Lifestyle

  Explore the Creative Lifestyle project curated by Justyna:

  Creative Lifestyle

  Start crafting your Creative Lifestyle by surfing the 12 Steps Guide to a Creative Lifestyle

  12 steps to a Creative Lifestyle

  Design your very own Meaningful and Creative Rituals with the interactive tool created by Antonio Carlos:

  Designing Meaningful and Creative Rituals – Interactive tool

• 4. Creativity to mitigate Climate Change

  We are living in an unprecedented time in terms of the impact of humans into nature and the environment. It is fundamental to reconfigure our ways of living, doing business, our very economic models and conception and valorisation of nature to foster sustainable living (for which we also strongly advocate). We integrate creativity and sustainability in all aspects of our lives and work and in our methodology and approach to problem solving and co-creation of long lasting solutions helping multiple stakeholders in the face of transformational shifts  in times of change and disruption (as you can explore in our use cases).  We have reflected on the importance of creativity to living sustainable and develop nature-based solutions to our challenges for instance in the following essay and articles that we invite you to read, share and comment:

  Discover how to reconnect with nature and embed it into the creative process in this essay by Antonio Carlos and Justyna.

  Creative Sustainability

  How can we all reimagine our cities to make them more liveable creative and sustainable? In this blog article Justyna provides insight and good practices from all around the world:

  Imagine all the people creating cities

  Get into the action with a hands-on blog article and tool by Justyna on The gifts of Nature, grow your own, pick your own, make your onw:

  The gifts of nature: grow your own, pick your own, make your own

  Inspire yourself to reconnect with nature with the digital exhibition All is there.

  All is there

• 5. Creativity for Business and Organizations Leadership

  Businesses and organizations of all sizes and in all sectors face ever more disruptions and the need to adapt, being flexible and resilient, and, of course, creative. We believe that companies must harness the creative energy of their employees to thrive –more than ever in these times of uncertainty and constant changes. They need to develop and embrace new business models and open up the organizations to creativity and creative talent from all backgrounds enhancing diversity, equality and inclusion as part of the organization culture. 

  Creative problem solving will help teams generate innovation, starting by discovering new approaches to problems, developing new products, or improving existing ones. Shouldn’t we therefore ensure the development of the creative abilities of our employees? Let’s take the advice of John Cleese who says: “If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play”. Over more than a decade we have developed a grounding expertise in helping businesses and organizations spark and scale creativity in their teams and throughout entire value chains and ecosystems. We are always ready to help you and your team thrive in the face of challenges. Surf through the material below and get in touch if you need further assistance:

  #MappingCreativity

  The creative talent search for autonomy

  Creativity in Business and Organizations

  Women Empowerment for Creative Leadership

  Future of Work

  Need further assistance?

  https://economiacreativa.wordpress.com/creative-solutions-services/

  Get in touch!

We hope you have fun and a truly creative time!

Like, share, comment & engage with us!

#WCID2022 #economiacreativa

Get in touch and share in the comments below or tagging us in our Instagram how you are celebrating the #WCID2022 at work or with your family and friedns!

If you want us to bring our creativity expertise to your organisation for a gig or in a subscription basis do get in touch!

GET IN TOUCH!

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Expert contribution to EU Com Structured Dialogue on Gender Balance

How to tackle gender balance in Creative and Cultural Sectors?

Justyna contributed as expert, representing Economía Creativa, to the Voices of Culture Structured Dialogue Between the EU Commission and the Culture Sector, together with 35 experts from across Europe to Brainstorm policies and practices for gender equality.

I want to see in the world women and men sharing power equally, free from damaging stereotypes, where women are empowered, independent and creative

Justyna Molednowska-Ruiz, Economía Creativa

Justyna had the pleasure to contribute as expert representing Economía Creativa at the Voices of Culture Structured Dialogue Meetings between the European Commission and the Cultural Sector on the topic Gender Equality: Gender balance in the Culture and Creative Sectors (CCS), joining a wonderful panel of experts composed by 35 representatives of public institutions, cultural organizations, businesses, academia, networks and NGOs from across Europe.

Women, despite the economically and technologically developed times we’re living, are still underrepresented in the workforce, leadership and decision-making positions in CCS; they are also paid less than their male colleagues, and facing many challenges they should not be existing by now. The consequences of women inequality are negative not just for women themselves but for the whole society. The need to address these facts and come up with clear policy recommendations and actions proved that VoC focus this year on Gender Balance is necessary and timely.

The Structured Dialogue Meetings between the European Commission and the Cultural Sector on the topic Gender Equality: Gender balance in the CCs’ took the form in two sessions. First in Prague (Czech Republic), and later in Brussels (Belgium).

The first meeting of VoC –brainstorming session– took place in Goethe Institute in Prague on 4th-5th September 2019. During the first meeting, experts worked in four groups on different aspects and topics such as: role of public authorities, legislation, role of sectoral initiatives, measures to promote equality, education and training, gender stereotypes, representation and role models to provide recommendations for the Brainstorming report.

The second VoC Dialogue Meeting took place at the Flagey in Brussels on the 6th November. It brought together again representatives from the 35 selected organizations for the VoC from several EU Member States, representatives from the European Commission and members of the Gender Equality group representing the EU Member States (OMC group). After very fruitful and constructive discussions, members of the writers and editorial team presented the Brainstorming report ‘Gender equality: gender balance in the CCS.’ Expanding on the narrative of discussions during the brainstorming meeting and giving context to the four topical groups:

Justyna, Communication & Research Leader in EC (second left) in the expert group on Education & training for Gender Balance – VoC Meeting in Prague

• Education and Training: Gender Stereotypes, Representation, and Role Models (in which Economía Creativa provided input drawing on our expertise on women empowerment and capacity building for entrepreneurship).
• Systemic Discrimination Demands Systemic Change
• End Sexual Violence
• Equal Access for Women to the Labour Market and Leadership Positions

Followed by discussions and recommendations on gender equality from EU representatives, members of the OMC groups, and the experts, the meeting came to an end; however it was continued as a less formal networking chat over the topic at a reception at the Flagey.

Justyna during the VoC Meetings

Economia Creativa contributed to VoC Meeting on Gender Balance sharing our expertise on training and capacity building on key areas for women empowerment such as creative confidence, entrepreneurial skills and business modelling, communication and storytelling, innovative funding and leadership; we also disseminate the outputs of the meeting as well as tools and resources for women empowerment.

We summarized Economía Creativa‘s takeaways from the VoC Daialogue Meeting with the European Commission and the Cultural Sector, on Gender Equality, in 10 points:

1. Gender requires a global approach and concrete actions for and by women.
2. Awareness raising stereotype-free about women leadership
3. Fund mentorship and capacity building for women on Culture and Creative Sectors, including training the trainers.
4. Enable structures for protecting people against sexual violence. Create points of contact for confidential reporting.
5. Make a binding obligation for all recipients of EU funding to have an anti-harassment policy.
6. Bring overall legislation on gender equality to the highest level existing in the EU.
7. More comprehensive gender statistics is needed, including making data on pay scales available, transparent and comparable.
8. Enforce 50-50 rule in the distribution of public resources.
9. In education, introduce a 50/50 rule on role models.
10. From STEM to STEAM, harness creativity (including creative hubs) so everyone can reach their full potential and feel fulfilled.

Economia Creativa strongly believes that the time is NOW to take action on Gender Equality to shaping an inclusive and creative society.

We would like to thank to Voices of Culture for this great opportunity to participate and contribute to such wonderful and important meeting.

Resources

• Download here the Brainstorming Report on ‘Gender Equality: Gender Balance in the Cultural and Creative Sectors‘.

Client:

Voices of Culture, European Commission.

Delivered

Meetings in Prague, Czech Republic, and Brussels, Belgium

+ Digitally

Services

Sharing our expertise on

→ capacity building, training and mentoring women entrepreneurs

→ research and best practices of policies and business practices for women empowerment.

Credits

Justyna Molendowska-Ruiz contributing expert representing Economía Creativa

+ Antonio Carlos Ruiz Soria, Economía Creativa (internal coordination).

+ 35 representatives of public institutions, cultural organizations, businesses, academia, networks and NGOs from across Europe

+ EU Commission.

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Relevant services and publications

Research and Strategy for Global Impact

Women Empowerment for Creative Leadership

Like what you read?

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UNCTAD Creative Economy Expert Meeting Geneva

How can the creative economy contribute to sustainable and inclusive development?

Emerging trade asymmetries, deepened by digital platforms. The nature of work in the cultural and creative industries. Environmental issues and sustainability. These and other new horizons for the creative economy were recently discussed at UNCTAD’s first ad hoc meeting on the creative economy and sustainable development at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting brought together over 120 experts from various countries worldwide.

UNCTAD

Project scope and outcome

‘Creative economy can play a key role in supporting trade and productive capacities in developing countries, decent job creation, competitiveness, and innovation, and in encouraging the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, the impact of digital technologies and the continued rise of creative industries are combining to drive the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It is essential that developing countries are enabled to become part of this digital-creative industries revolution.

The expert meeting provided an opportunity to discuss challenges at hand, current developments related to creative economy and implications for developing countries, and to formulate recommendations.

Against this backdrop, the UNCTAD Secretariat held the First Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Creative Economy for Sustainable Development on 28 October 2019 from 10 am to 6 pm at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

This event brought together leading experts from government, business, academia and international organizations to discuss the development opportunities and challenges associated with the evolving creative economy. The event aimed to:

• Raise awareness of the importance of the creative economy for sustainable development
• Advance the development agenda connected to creative economy, including recommendations for the development gains of developing countries
• Create and strengthen networks and partnerships for the advancement of key related issues including those related to statistics related to creative economy, intellectual property, market access, entrepreneurship, digital economy and innovation.

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Antonio Carlos and Justyna were very grateful and honoured to have been invited as speaker/contributors at the UNCTAD First Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Creative Economy, representing Economía Creativa.

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Resources

• Organization of work, annotated agenda and programme available here.
• List of participants accessible here.
• Event outcome by UNCTAD accessible here.

Client:

UNCTAD

Delivered

Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

Services

→ Expert meeting

Credits

Antonio Carlos Ruiz Soria, speaker/expert

Justyna Molendowska-Ruiz, expert

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Relevant services and publications

#MappingCreativity

Research and Strategy for Global Impact

Discover how EC can help you

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New Economy and Society Global Forum

CLIENT: NESI Global Forum

Delivered:

Palacio de Congresos, Málaga, Spain

Project: 

Contributors, event partners

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Project scope and outcome

The NESI Global Forum for New Economy and Social Innovation is the meeting place for all people and organizations working to co-create a New Economy at the service of people and the planet.

In April 2019, more than 700 entrepreneurs, business leaders, academics, policy makers, activists and students came to the NESI Global Forum to be part of a very special journey. They came into a “time machine” and traveled to the future. During three days, they were living in the “City 2030” in the year 2030, a place where humankind had achieved their global goals. They experienced a new economic system at the service of people and the planet. Through collective wisdom and the application of social innovation, they explored how to create a healthy and ecological
food system and how to transform the housing & urban systems.

Economía Creativa supported NESI Forum as event partner/contributor, participating in different expert sessions and disseminating the Forum conclusions that you can find here.

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Relevant services

speaking, training & workshops

Creativity for sustainable leadership

Discover how EC can help you

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Preserving and promoting ROMA cultural heritage

Economia Creativa, took part in the debate Preserving and Promoting ROMA cultual heritage: the role of ERIAC, an interactive exchange among experts held in Berlin, in the frame of the European Cultural Heritage Summit, on 19 June 2018.

The session focused on the importance of Roma arts and culture in European cultural heritage. The event provided an opportunity to discuss the current status quo with regards to Roma cultural heritage recognition, as well as pointing to opportunities and developments in the contemporary Roma arts and culture scene in Europe.

After a guided curatorial tour through the Roma Spring exhibition in the ERIAC Art Space, the guests were given an introductory lecture by Timea Junghaus, the Executive Director of ERIAC, who spoke about the preservation and promotion of Roma cultural heritage and ERIAC’s part in it. Participants and experts then engaged in a role-playing game where they slipped into the role of Roma activists defending their heritage against an insistent commission.

Justyna and Antonio Carlos, from Economía Creativa, contributed to the working group session on how to best preserved and promote Roma culture.

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Relevant services and publications

Cultural Heritage Innovative Audience Development

Discover how EC can help you

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