January 27 2025

CCI: Many inventions, but little innovation

Riksteatern Crea's technical know-how offers many possibilities for the avatar to be projected anywhere on the stage, approaching from the side or appearing behind the actor's shoulder.
By Caroline Wendt

A sign-language-speaking ghost in the form of a hologram in a theatre production, and a circus tent that can be set up in record time. These are just a few examples of how those working in the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) are crafting groundbreaking solutions and compelling content by inventing entirely new things. But why is it that so few of these innovative elements are further developed and incorporated into an innovation system? Katarina Scott and Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth at Future by Lund and Lund University explore how the concept of “innovation by production” could function, particularly within the European projects ekip and IPA.

When medical researchers make new discoveries or when new technological solutions are developed, an innovation system with working models, incubators, accelerators, and funding is ready to capitalise on these inventions, enabling scaling and commercialisation. But the same structure doesn’t exist within CCIs.
“In the creative sector, exciting new content is constantly being created—not just on stage but also in areas such as lighting, special effects, digital solutions, and construction techniques,” says Katarina Scott, project developer at Future by Lund. “However, the sector often lacks structured innovation efforts where resources and models, such as funding and incubators, are used to turn good ideas into scalable innovations.”

Katarina Scott, who works on project development at Future by Lund and has a background in CCIs through the cultural incubator Creative Plot, adds:
“Today, there is little funding for innovation within the cultural sector, with most investments focused on production and operations. At the same time, creative productions inevitably lead to potential innovations, so from that perspective, there isn’t a problem. But to truly capitalise on what’s created, we need an entirely new structure.”

This could mark the beginning of a new approach called “innovation by production”—where innovations that emerge during creative productions are scaled as seriously as the content creation itself.
“At present, there is no structured system where funding is allocated to extract innovations from what was initially an invention within a production,” says Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth, who has extensive experience developing innovation support systems. “If we actively viewed our creative productions as innovation labs, we could get much more out of them. To innovate together across intersecting areas in a structured way, we need to consolidate resources. While there are many essential functions, such as labs, specialised expertise, and tech companies, the building blocks are not yet all in place. If the industry were better at developing scalable inventions, filing patents, and building businesses around them, more money could flow back into the sector, and the ideas could benefit a broader audience.”

Within the ekip project, efforts are underway to define critical components for an innovation ecosystem for CCIs—components referred to as “innovation building blocks.” These include the necessary infrastructure, working models, expertise, and financing to facilitate the process.

Open innovation and partnership constellations are vital building blocks.
“It’s important to be able to co-create solutions,” continues Katarina Scott. “This is where the creative sector can contribute both spectacular and radical new solutions. Trust is a crucial foundation—it enables collaboration, uncovering opportunities and solutions in complex areas that are impossible to tackle alone.”

There are numerous examples of innovative elements that could be integrated into an innovation system.
“We have several examples within our networks where fantastic solutions could be scaled and utilised by more people. Riksteatern Crea in Sweden, which produces performing arts in Swedish Sign Language, has collaborated with Humlab at Lund University to create an interactive hologram that speaks sign language. The production The Canterville Ghost has now premiered. This is an outstanding solution, with technology advanced enough to convey nuances in finger movements and facial expressions, which are critical in sign language. Here lies an innovation ready to be developed from a production-born solution,” says Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth.

In the circus world, many solutions could also be scaled. For instance, a circus act that uses technology to transform drones into a bird or a dragon capable of interaction could inspire multiple business ideas beyond being part of a fantastic performance. Moreover, innovation extends beyond the circus show itself.
“Much of a circus’s daily operations involve moving from place to place and solving practical challenges. Cirkus Brazil Jack has developed a tent that can be erected and dismantled quickly. They also prioritise sustainability, moving as environmentally efficiently as possible, and carry a mobile power generator,” explains Katarina Scott. “Many could benefit from these solutions, whether for temporary business setups or in disaster areas.”

Future by Lund is also testing a digital platform called Be Here Then, which tells the stories behind innovations from the Lund Innovation District. The goal is for this production to lead to new solutions in collaboration with the platform’s founder.

In recent years, the EU has significantly increased funding for innovation within the creative sector, with the ekip policy project serving as a flagship initiative to support the development of Europe’s innovation ecosystems for CCIs. This is a vital development that highlights the creative sector as an essential resource for Europe’s growth.

“Through ‘innovation by production,’ we can enhance the way we work with innovation in CCIs,” concludes Katarina Scott. “This approach facilitates testing and demonstrations financed through production and co-developed solutions at the intersection of fashion, textiles, cultural heritage, design, crafts, and theatre, alongside cross-disciplinary fields such as recycling, manufacturing, logistics, infrastructure, visualisation, and interaction. By aligning cultural production funding with innovation financing, we create synergies that enable scaling and investments.”

Read more here in a related article 

Latest ekip News and Updates

January 31 2025

Policy Dialogue: Bridging Creativity and Innovation for Europe’s Future

Throughout ekip´s third Policy Dialouge, this time in Kosice, Slovakia, a recurring theme ...

SEE MORE

January 30 2025

Immersive Tech: Revolutionizing Creativity, Yet Out of Reach for Many CCIs

Immersive media like virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) are revolutionizing how we...

SEE MORE

January 27 2025

CCI: Many inventions, but little innovation

A sign-language-speaking ghost in the form of a hologram in a theatre production, and a circus tent that can be set up in record time. ...

SEE MORE

Get updates and news from ekip!