Creative Cities Competition – the on-line competition for best photographs and videos on creativity in the city. The winners were announced on March 15, 2008. http://creativecompetition.britishcouncil.org

What Makes Cities Creative? (16-18 March 2008, Warsaw) - Creative Cities workshop for 30 ‘urban innovators’ and city partners from the participating countries were examining the people, places and practices that make cities creative places. Organised in Warsaw, March 2008, and led by Charlie Leadbeater, Creative Cities project consultant. http://www.charlesleadbeater.net/home.aspx

“T3 Symbiosis - Science, Art, Economics: the Trinity of Success" seminar for influencers at Espoo Culture Centre (18 March 2009). The seminar brought the role of the arts and culture into discussion alongside the sciences and economics as important factors in regional and urban development, commercial success and the future of the Uusimaa region and Espoo. Using the arts and culture to promote well-being and economic competitiveness is a subject on which there is currently little knowledge. Read more.

Helsinki Music Centre – a nationwide Home for the Music Community seminar at Sibelius Academy, Wegelius Hall (3 June 2009). The event constituted a forum for an interdisciplinary debate, beginning with the UK experience. The key speakers were Anthony Sargent from the Sage Gateshead, Gillian Moore from the Southbank Centre, and Sean Gregory from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The Helsinki Music House is striving to encompass the experience of the Sage Gatehead, which is an international home for music and musical discovery in the North of England, as well as the innovation of the Southbank Centre in London, and creative practice at the Guildhall School. The seminar focused on innovation, social inclusion and catalysing changes in cultural habits in the cities. Please read the report from the seminar for further information.

Kedja Dance Meeting in Kuopio (15-17 June 2009) was a seminar with a strong focus on children and young people. The event was be facilitated by Chris Thompson, the Director of Learning and Access in The Place. The UK speaker present at this event was Veronica Jobbins, Head of Professional and Community Studies at Laban. Read more about the event.

Creative Economy and Beyond – CEB (9-10 September 2009) focused on the role of creativity in the economy and society. The conference brought together policy-makers, businesses, artists, researchers and others interested in developing and understanding the creative economy in the urban context. More than 300 guests from Finland and all over the world took part in the event. The conference featured a range of interesting speakers, including Professor Nancy J. Adler from the University of McGill in Montreal, Professor Chris Voss from the London Business School, Professor Alf Rehn from Åbo Akademi University in Turku, GK VanPatter, Director of Strategy Humantific in New York, Professor Steven S. Taylor from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Massachusetts and Professor Joachim Sauter from the Berlin University of the Arts. The lectures were followed by panel discussions and served as the starting-point for further discussions. Rebecca Madgin from the University of Glasgow moderated a session on local examples of creative industries and their impact on city development. The Future City Game session run by the British Council on the second day focused on environmental creativity in Helsinki. The game brought together people from different countries to share their local experience and generate ideas that might be applicable to Helsinki. www.ceb.fi

Please contact Kata Kreft Burman for further information about the Creative Cities project in Finland.

Kata Kreft-Burman
Projects and Partnerships Manager
Tel. +358 9 7743 3320
first.last@britishcouncil.fi