Empowering Europe’s Cultural and Creative Industries: Barcelona Statement A Manifesto for Change

ISABEL ROIG, BARCELONA CENTRE DE DISSENY, AN ekip NETWORK PARTNER AND CHARLOTTE LORENTZ HJORTH, ekip PROJECT BOARD CHAIRWOMEN

The Barcelona Statement as a guiding framework for CCIs

The Barcelona Statement, unveiled by the Spanish government in July 2023, serves as a guiding light for harnessing the potential of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) to drive economic growth, foster innovation, and promote sustainability across Europe.

The statement presents a framework rich with ideas on how to enhance quality, economic strength, and innovation capacity within CCIs. It acknowledges the diversity of the sector from small design studios with fewer than ten employees to large media companies employing hundreds recognizing that each faces distinct challenges and opportunities.

“It’s a heterogeneous big sector. For example, in design, there are small studios. But then we have media, visual and digital arts, which have big companies, and we have to take into account that there are really big differences,” Isabel Roig explains.

Ensuring all voices are heard across Europe

One of the key strengths of the Barcelona Statement is its inclusivity. It invites not only national institutions but also smaller cities and regions to participate.

This inclusive approach fosters collaboration and ensures that voices from across the ecosystem regardless of size or status are heard. It creates an ideal platform for initiatives like ekip, which aims to drive innovation and research in CCIs through evidence-based policy recommendations.

But how can ekip align with and use the Barcelona Statement? The answer lies in emphasizing collective strength. By positioning itself within a broader European movement, ekip can engage cities and regions that may not yet have developed their own CCI strategies.

“Projects like ekip exemplify the practical application of the statement’s principles. By leveraging the Barcelona Statement as a guiding framework, ekip seeks to enhance collaboration between cultural and creative industries, driving ecosystem-level policies that promote open innovation and transformation,” says Isabel Roig.

Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth, coordinator for ekip from Lund University and Future by Lund, strongly agrees:

“In ekip, we need the argumentation from Barcelona as a very strong CCI city. It’s setting the standard for the rest of us. We welcome this statement so cities throughout Europe can sign up for something bigger a bigger plan, a bigger movement and use the joint energy.”

CCIs as frontrunners of green and digital transformation

Central to the Barcelona Statement is the vision of a greener, more digitalized Europe driven by creative energy. CCIs play a major role in this transformation, with sectors like design leading in sustainability and innovation.

From zero-meter gastronomy to the use of biomaterials in product design, CCIs demonstrate how sustainable and socially conscious business practices can thrive.

“I think these sectors really are frontrunners when it comes to adopting new things and testing change. Cultural creatives can pull other sectors along by showing new ways,” says Charlotte Lorentz Hjorth.

There is also a strong social link between CCIs and society, making the transition toward a greener future easier to communicate.

“Take gastronomy, for example. Chefs in Nordic countries have driven a movement toward small production and local products. The transformation toward a greener Europe is a mix of cultural heritage and regional identity,” explains Isabel Roig.

She believes that people working in gastronomy, design, music, and performing arts can build businesses not just with zero kilometers, but zero meters.

Cultural and creative industries as drivers of societal change

Beyond economics, CCIs act as connectors bridging industries, fostering collaboration, and translating complex ideas into accessible narratives. Their adaptability and communicative power make them key allies in driving societal change.

By leveraging creativity and cultural influence, CCIs can inspire behavioral shifts and new attitudes toward sustainability, inclusion, and digital transformation.

In the ambition to make Europe a hub for creativity, innovation, and sustainability, the Barcelona Statement stands as a call to action for policymakers, industry leaders, and creatives to unite around a shared vision.

“I think that ekip can bring feasible recommendations to the table recommendations that really can make a difference,” says Isabel Roig.

Learn more about the Barcelona Statement: