International Forum within the framework of Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) CULTURE AS A FACTOR OF GROWTHwas held in St. Petersburg, December 7–9, 2014.
More than 160 participants representing various fields took part in the forum held at the St. Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts to get informed of the initiatives within the cultural and creative industries (CCI) in the Northern Dimension area. The array of participating organizations was prominent including cultural and foreign ministries, universities, cultural and research institutes, companies and intermediaries in cultural and creative industries, museums, tourism industry, and NGOs from the ND area.
The broad spectrum of presentations enabled the participants to receive a comprehensive picture of the relevant actors and ongoing initiatives underlying attempts to turn culture as a factor of growth in the ND area. Underlying the high importance of search for new sources of growth, the event hosted high level ministerial comments from both Russian and Nordic perspectives featuring Deputy Minister Alla Manilova from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Secretary General Dagfinn Høybråten from the Nordic Council of Ministers, and Director of the Department of European Cooperation Ivan Soltanovsky from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
The Forum presentations discussed the policy development and policy recommendations for the CCIs, financing of CCIs, and practical examples of mechanisms used to support creative entrepreneurs in skills development, promotion and sales of their goods and services, and business development. Also, novel forms of education in cultural and creative industries were presented and the potential of cultural tourism for regional development was explored.
In the forum evening, followed by a reception at the Krysha Ballroom of the Grand Hotel Europe, the participants were invited to a guided night excursion to admire the arts and history of the Mikhailovsky Castle.
