From creative industries to the creative place

The starting assumption of the project is that creativity can act as a driving force for economic development of small urban centres and not only of big cities. Thus, the main value-added that the work of the Creative Clusters network can produce is to transfer the “creative city model” (too much focused on big and middle-sized metropolis) to low density urban areas. In other words, to transfer a range of so far considered urban attributes (accessibility, cultural life, technological facilities, competitive clusters, global networking, etc.) to middle-sized and small towns.

This is relevant at European Union level because the project is going to explore the capacity of the creative issue to impulse a sort of leapfrog in terms of social and economic development for small and midsize towns as well as an excellent opportunity to re-think rural development.

The objective of this URBACT ne ...

Project launch :
01 April 2008
End of the project :
May 2011

Lead Partner

Municipality of Óbidos (PT) creativeobidos@cm-obidos.pt

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There is a formal strategy in Óbidos [10.875 inhabitants, 80 km North of Lisbon] to become a creative, eco and healthy town based on distinctive endogenous assets, in order to turn into a unique place to live, work, learn and play at national and international level. Since 2002 Óbidos has been implementing a development strategy focused on Tourism, Culture and Economy. The Town Council has been organizing a number of events that attracted the attention to this historic town.

Partners

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Lead Expert

Miguel Rivasmrivas@grupotaso.com[CV]

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Economic geographer and post-graduated in business management by San Telmo International Business School. Extensive background in economic development and SMEs policies: planning executive at the Agency for Innovation and Development of Andalusia, the leading RDA in Spain; managing director of Sevilla Global Urban Agency for Economic Development; and since 2007 partner-director of Grupo Taso, a Spain-based consultancy firm in economic & business development.

Close links with the academia at international level and a high number of workshops with a wide range of industries. His most remarkable projects are related to strategic planning and change in business clusters, revitalization strategies for urban economies and institutional building in the field of development agencies.