The ECCE initiative was showcased at an international conference in Berlin on 3-4 May "Cultural
and Creative Industries in Europe - Coherent Policies in a Globalised World", organised with the
support of the German Presidency of the EU. A panel workshop on "Coherent Policy from the
Perspective of Cities in Europe" was dedicated to the ECCE project providing an opportunity to
explain the overall objectives of the ECCE network and a chance to share the first results of the
project. In particular, it provided a venue to launch the handbook "Read This First - Growth and
Development of Creative SMEs", coordinated by the Utrecht School of Arts as part of the ECCE
project. The handbook addresses three main themes: the creative economy on a macro level, the
creative industries on a regional or sector level and creative and cultural entrepreneurship on the
micro level and aims to help stimulate the professional development of creative SMEs and arts and
management students planning to work in the sector.
So what is ECCE all about? In 2006, seven European cities in North West Europe created a
network to share best practice, to help initiate policies to develop cultural and creative SMEs on
their territory and to promote the needs and potential of this sector. This initiative, known as
the ECCE project (Developing Economic Clusters of Cultural Enterprises), won the approval of the
European Union that co-finances the project via regional development funds until mid-2008.
Led by Nantes Métropole, the ECCE partner cities of Angers, Rennes Métropole, Utrecht,
Eindhoven, Aachen and the Creative Industries Development Agency (CIDA) based in Huddersfield, UK
are putting in place local resources centres to help provide business consultancy, financial
advice, training and mentoring for small businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals in the cultural
and creative sector. The sectors concerned are very varied but all "have their origin in individual
creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the
generation and exploitation of intellectual property...". They range from traditional "cultural
industries" such as publishing and the music industry to design, advertising, architecture and
communication.
The ECCE cities fully recognise cultural and creative SMEs as a source of niche markets,
innovation, employment and attractiveness and seek to promote these assets. In addition to the
practical measures for local companies, the ECCE initiative seeks to promote the interests,
potential, needs and specificities of this sector in terms of both training and access to finance
and capital both at political level and amongst bankers and investors.
ECCE's aims happily coincide with a new political interest in the economic potential of the
creative and cultural sector in Europe, illustrated in a study recently commissioned by the EU that
highlights the important contribution of the cultural and creative sectors towards the Lisbon
Agenda in terms of GDP, growth and employment, as well as links between creativity and innovation,
links with the ICT sector, regional development and attractiveness. This study notes that the
cultural and creative sector represents 2.6% of EU GDP, employs some 5.8 million people and has a
growth rate of 12.3% higher than other sectors in the economy (1999-2003). It recognises the highly
qualified nature of workers in the sector, close to 50% having a higher education qualification as
compared with only 27% in other sectors.
ECCE initiative promotes cultural and creative SMEs in Europe