Bridging the Gap: Co-Formulating Policies for Creative Industries

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and innovation, the intersection of CCIs and artificial intelligence presents both challenges and opportunities. To navigate this dynamic terrain stakeholders across Europe met up in Brussels for ekip´s first Policy Lab.

Policy Lab, run by Technopolis Group is a multidimensional tool designed to equip policymakers with evidence-based recommendations tailored to the diverse landscape of creative industries. The work is a part of ekip´s policy engine and is related to policies that should lead to more open and inclusive ecosystems for CCIs.

Through a structured process, the Policy Lab aims to co-create actionable solutions, informed by the insights of stakeholders and experts within the field.

“There is a huge gap between stakeholder organization and what´s happening at a national or EU level. So, we need to prove our case and gather voices of all those people at the same time that creates a resonance box for the policy makers, the one that decide on strategies and agenda”, says Alexandre Lotito is a senior consultant for the Brussels office of Technopolis Group.

Good level of engagement

By fostering open dialogue, embracing diversity, and harnessing collective expertise, stakeholders can chart a course toward a more inclusive and impactful cultural policy landscape. The event unfolded over two days, meticulously structured to foster engagement and yield actionable insights. Attendees were treated to insightful presentations, ranging from the unique role of small CCI actors in AI innovation to real-world case studies illustrating AI’s impact on cultural tourism and the music industry.

“I think that we had a very good level of engagement in the discussion, people really bringing their experience, bringing also the needs of their communities, and that’s what we value the most. It was a good mix because we represented many geographies of many stakeholder interests”, says Alexandre Lotito.

The workshop offered a space where stakeholders could share their experiences, voice their concerns, and co-create strategies. This inclusive approach, rooted in open innovation, acknowledges the value of diverse perspectives in tackling complex challenges.

Corinne Szteinsznaider and Laura Galante mapping challenges faced by CCIs in leveraging AI technologies

Different challenges

Central to the discussions within this Policy Lab was the challenges faced by CCIs in leveraging AI technologies, particularly for smaller players within the ecosystem. From navigating the complexities of AI adoption to addressing skills gaps and fostering a culture of ethical AI.

One critical aspect is the need to bridge the gap between traditional creative practices and emerging technologies. This involves not only upskilling CCI professionals in AI-related competencies but also fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange between tech talent and creative practitioners. By investing in skill development, the CCIs can embrace AI technologies responsibly and effectively.

“When we look at the mapping of the challenges that were identified in the beginning of the workshop, what is striking is the level of uncertainty. We started with 60 ideas on sticky notes and in the end of day two we targeted down to who do we want to target and what challenges do we want to achieve”.

The added value with this working method is a broader reach.

“Policy Lab, as a method, has it strength in actually reach a consensus somehow. The fact that we are all together in the same room and working on similar problems and questions is actually quite rare. It´s not an approach in policymaking that is done systematically”, Alexandre Lotito emphasizes.

Create synergies

Corinne Szteinsznaider, member of the Presidium of Culture Action Europe that is an advocacy network, was one of the participants at ekip´s first Policy Lab in Brussels.

“I´m working in the advocacy field, so I´m very interesting into contribute to another initiative in order to create synergies. The curiosity, the experience, elements to share, and also listen to learn from the others”

What Corinne Szteinsnzaider take home is that small creative industries have the same challenges and situations than small cultural organizations.

“We are all working for common values. For instance, it´s very interesting to discuss the question of copyright and artificial intelligence”, says Corinne Szteinsznaider.

If all the actors from the cultural and creative sectors share the same perspective and push to the same recommendations underway it will create alliance is Corinne Szteinsznaider belief. ekip has a vital role to fill by mapping the arena and evaluate the gaps and bringing different sectors together.

“We are advocating for the same things, and even if we are from different countries, we have the same situation. But some countries are more advanced in some solutions.
But the community´s challenges of values, of objectives are very much the same and I can see that we all together can have a strong voice and that is very important in the policy point of view”.

Continuous dialogue

One of the significant outcomes of the lab was the identification of policy gaps and hindering factors impeding the integration of AI in CCIs. Participants collectively outlined concrete policy action plans targeting different levels—be it regional, national, or European.

“The journey didn’t end with the conclusion of the lab. Rather, it marked the beginning of a continuous dialogue and policy refinement process. Now we will have online workshops to further refine policy recommendations, engaging both event attendees and interested stakeholders who couldn’t participate physically. This iterative approach underscores the commitment to adaptability and responsiveness in policy formulation”, says Alexandre Lotito.