Creative Tomorrow

Maria Hansen, ELIA Executive Director, reflects on Creative Skills Week 2024, which was held last week in Amsterdam, and ELIA’s strategy development.

With over 700 registrants, Creative Skills Week 2024 gathered attendees (in person and online) to work on the important topic of skills for the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI). The event ran the entire week (16 - 20 September), with satellite events being hosted by organisations from all over Europe, and a two-day in-presence main programme being held in Amsterdam.

Co-funded by the European Union, this week was part of the work of the CYANOTYPES and SACCORD project, in the framework of the European Pact for Skills and in collaboration with the City of Amsterdam and the EIT Culture and Creativity (Amsterdam Co-Location). It was a week full of panel sessions, workshops, discussions, provocations, experimental learning activities, and micro-credential testing labs. For the ELIA Team, it is rare that we get to host an event in our own city and that made this multi-generational event even more special. The weather collaborated significantly which was helpful as participants moved from location to location around the Amsterdam Marineterrein – on foot or on their rental bikes.

Thanks to our many partners in Amsterdam, especially the Amsterdam University of the Arts. Thanks to the ELIA Team and our many partners in CYANOTYPES and SACCORD for making it possible. And thanks to all participants for being part of this inspiring second edition. Next year we head to Prague for the 2025 edition – will we see you there? Stay tuned for the dates which will be announced soon.

Meanwhile, you may have noticed that ELIA has been working on the development of a new strategy. This work has been going on for more than a year and has involved the Representative Board, the ELIA Team and many of our members, together with strategy development firm, For Planet Strategy Lab. It is so important to work with the input from the community in a process like this. This is why I was so grateful that on 9 September, I counted more than 115 ELIA members in our online member meeting. They all came to hear our strategy texts and discuss them with us. Thanks to everyone who took time out of their busy day to dive into ELIA’s strategic missions and values. The response by our members was very positive and we look forward already to our General Assembly, taking place on 23 November in Milan (and online for those who can’t be present) – this is when we ask the ELIA members to vote on these important texts which will provide the grounding for many strategic initiatives in the coming years.