In October 2010, on initiative of Jean-Claude Marcourt, vice-president of the Walloon Government, Minister for the Economy, SMEs, Foreign Trade and New Technologies, the Walloon government launched the framework programme “Creative Wallonia”, in order to put creativity and innovation at the heart of the Walloon economy and society.
Two years after its implementation, this ambitious strategy retained the attention of the European Commission. After qualifying it as exemplary in an official Communication to the European institutions, the European Commission has now promoted Wallonia to the rank of European Creative District – one of the (two) first in the European Union.
Wallonia Creative District
The projects submitted by Wallonia and Tuscany were selected amid forty-four European territories. Via this initiative, the Enterprise and Industry department wants to underscore the role which creative and cultural industries (CCI) can play in the transformation of an economically transitioning region, by adding value to its economy through design, creativity and the supply of trans-sectoral
Collaborations, in order to allow the region to gain a strong position in the globalized value chains.
An initiative upheld by several Walloon partners
A consortium, consisting of five Walloon cutting edge companies in terms of innovation and creativity (SPW/DG06, Wallonie Design, St’art Invest, the Walloon telecommunications Agency and ID Campus) want to make sure that Creative Wallonia confirms its status as a « large scale demonstrator » by reinforcing the region’s dynamic and open it up to the international market. The project is coordinated by SPW/DGO6. De TWIST and Infopôle TIC clusters are also associates in the project. Each party carries out one or more actions, in function of their fields of specialization.
Economic fallout for Wallonia and Europe
From january 2013 to July 2015 this project will make it possible to position Creative Wallonia as a reference on European level, to develop transregional partnerships and multiply collaboration opportunities for Walloon private and public sector players. Wallonia Creative District will also make it possible to turn the Creative Wallonia plan into an international benchmark and share good practices with other European regions.
For more information : the Creative Wallonia site.
Twitter : @creativewal – #WalloniaECD
