The KnowInG Project eNewsletter Issue 4: Spring 2012
The Final Push
Inside: • Partner Round-Up • The Final Conference • Hellenic Games Jam
Event Report:
Creativity Lab “Marketing Ideas” Marisa Madeira, University of the Algarve The Creativity Lab “Marketing Ideas” was held at the University of the Algarve, in Faro, from 15 November to 17 December 2012, two days a week outside of office hours. The ‘Lab’ was promoted by CRIA, the University of Algarve’s Division of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer, one of the partners of the KnowInG project. The choice of the topic was determined by the fact that local start-up companies were not well versed in terms of marketing and, more specifically, in terms of using social networks and internet tools in an effective way. The goal of the Creativity Lab was to enable the participants
Editor Leah Tether Designer Sarah Channing-Wright Produced by
to use creativity to reach their markets. It provided specialised expertise to help entrepreneurs promote their ideas in a global market and use digital marketing tools effectively. The Lab was therefore focused on particularly impactful aspects of digital marketing, such as display advertising, email marketing, search engine marketing, social media marketing, mobile marketing and web analytics; it also looked at the effectiveness of social network marketing, such as on Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter, and considered marketing plans, too. The Creativity Lab was particularly directed at entrepreneurs and professionals of Arts, Culture and Creative Industries (CCI), 1
and was promoted as an opportunity to debate crucial ideas, and to use the internet as a major instrument for the dissemination and promotion of their work. In each session, participants would use their own computers – with internet access granted – to experiment and conduct tests based on the content and topic of the day. In the final session, on 17 December, the participants had the opportunity to exhibit their projects or business ideas, as well as discuss how they would ‘market their ideas’ using social networks, internet tools and the skills they had acquired. The Lab was mainly targeted at small companies, startups and entrepreneurs, and there was substantial interest from these sectors, with 50 registered applications. The
Event Report:
Creativity Lab “Marketing Ideas” criteria for the selection of the 15 participants was based on the existence of a business or project, the associated marketing needs thereof, and also the level of relevance to the activity sectors of both CCI and Tourism. Among the participants were: • ‘We Make Productions’, a small company founded one year ago by two finalist students from the Communication Design
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course at the University of Algarve. The company works with audio-visual production, photography and motion graphics; ‘Aqui Há Arte’, a business focused on communication design and illustration classes; ‘Charrão Studio’, communication design; ‘deRito’, a home furnishings company using recycled materials and providing photo services;
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ADS (Associação de Designers do Sul), the Designers Association of the South.
After the final Lab session, the participants were asked to complete an evaluation, which overwhelmingly stated that it had been very useful; they also expressed their desire to have this kind of activity established in a regular programme.
KnowInG: The Final Conference
The city of Valencia will host the final conference of the KnowInG Project. The aim of the Conference is to inform public authorities, enterprises and the general public about the results achieved during the three years of our project. The agenda for the event has been formed
around two different, but interrelated activities. The first is to establish a forum for discussion about knowledge economy and innovation as a development strategy, according to the knowledge gained from KnowInG’s activities. The second is the implementation of a businessto-business model designed to link companies of the different sectors with which KnowInG has been engaged (cultural tourism, energy efficiency, video games, design, fashion and crafts).
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The Conference will be held on 22 May 2013 as an all day event, and it is planned that both of the aforementioned activities will take place in parallel. To do this, a large space will be prepared next to the conference hall where companies will have a trade stand from which to showcase their products. To ensure the success of the commercial exchange between companies, it will also advise them on the possibilities for collaboration with other European companies and there will be a workshop about networking activities, too.
PARTNER ROUND-UP Caterina Praticò, Project Coordinator The KnowInG Project is, of course, going into its last period of activity, with the end finally coming in May 2013. During the three years of activity, all partners have worked hard both to implement actions locally and participate in transnational initiatives.
1) Algarve Region (Portugal): Tourism and Cultural/Creative Industries
The core of the KnowInG Project’s collaborative activity has been the promotion of the “knowledge economy” in its broadest sense. More concretely, though, all of the involved regions chose an economic “creative/ innovative” sector to constitute their local focus. We’ve been introduced to these partners individually in the newsletters published to date, but as this is our last issue, it seems a good time to provide a round-up of their activities and achievements.
2) Attica Region (Greece): Edutainment and Serious Games
The University of the Algarve has been working tirelessly with sector companies and policy makers. Its principal finding was that tourism, as the main economic sector in the region, needs to be diversified in terms of its focus – the region has more than just sun, beach and golf to offer. More emphasis should be laid on culture, heritage, traditions, gastronomy, nature and education.
The three Greek partners (Attica Region, NTUA and BIC Attica) addressed all of their project activities directly to decision makers and economic actors as a means of crystallising the prospects and possibilities which could arise from the development of a research cluster in Video Gaming with an emphasis on ‘Serious Games’ and ‘Edutainment’.
3) Cambridge (United Kingdom): Cultural and Creative Industries The KnowInG partner in this region, Anglia Ruskin University, supports and promotes creative practitioners and creative businesses via a professional and social networking hub called Creative Front, providing advice and contacts for those regional companies working in the sector.
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PARTNER ROUND-UP 4) Italy:
5) Valencia Region (Spain): Innovative Initiatives for the Sustainable Development of Rural Areas based on an Intelligent Use of Energy
4.1) Calabria Region: Texile and Goldsmith Handicrafts The Calabria Region promotes support for creative enterprises and has inter-institutionally endorsed a memorandum of understanding for supporting the Knowledge Economy.
The two Spanish partners, CEEI and FVMP, have involved both private and public bodies in a campaign focusing on providing information and support for rural populations, with a view to creating better living conditions and an innovative green economy.
4.2) Lombardy (Milan): Fashion KnowInG’s lead partner, CNR-IRPPS, is a governmental organisation which operates on a national level. It has focused on activities and research actions in one of the most creative regions in Italy, and has involved both economic actors and institutions in dialogue initiatives for boosting the collaborative activities in the fashion sector.
In this last period of activity, the Project as a whole has concentrated on, and empowered, transnational initiatives. A presentation event for selected companies is planned to be held in April in Milan as an action aimed at capitalisation. Final, we will hold the Project’s final conference in Valencia in May (see p. 2), with the participation of all of the associated institutions and economic operators.
4.3) Sicily Region: Ceramics Handicrafts In its role as the Sicilian Region’s department for labour policies, this partner has focused on the training of a panel of selected unemployed people, helping them to both up- and reskill so as to find new and/or alternative employment in the Knowledge Economy.
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Report on Component 3: Transnational platform policies and tools for the knowledge economy In the Valencia Region, the focus of the Knowing Project is the sustainable development of rural areas based on an intelligent use of energy. Under Component 3, FVMP has the task of developing Pilot Project 1 (PP1): Institutional Agreements for Capitalisation of Innovation Strategies. FVMP has contacted the City Council of Segorbe, in the province of Castellon, a rural municipality, as it is very active in the subject of energy saving and efficiency. FVMP has prepared an agreement with the City Council of Segorbe to develop an Innovative Measures Plan for Energy Efficiency. Segorbe City Council will as a result contract a private or public entity, according to the
legislation currently in force in Spain, which will include a study of the current energy situation of Segorbe, and a list of innovative measures to achieve maximum energy saving in all municipal scopes. This agreement was signed on 13th February 2013 in Segorbe Municipality, between the Secretary General of FVMP and the Mayor of Segorbe City Council. In Sicily, meanwhile, the Labour Department is organising an engagement campaign in Sicilian territorial districts focusing on art ceramics. Through several workshops, participants (stakeholders, creative operators, companies, workers and unemployed people) are able to join together
and share management tools and promote business alliances. To track innovation and creativeness as factors of growth in Sicilian territories, the Labour Department has done a comparative study of past and present regional innovation policies using the questionnaire provided by CNR to collect important information about the knowledge economy in Sicily. Many activities for PP1 are still ongoing in this region.
News in Brief Crowdfunding The European Expert Network on Culture (EENC) has published a report on crowdfunding schemes in Europe, looking at the effectiveness of these innovative sources of funding in the cultural and creative sector. More information: http://www.eenc.info/news/ report-on-crowdfunding-schemes-in-europeand-their-legal-implications/
Important step in Creative Europe negotiations Key EU Ministers of Culture met in November to discuss the next EU culture programme: Creative Europe. The report was signed off in December to the satisfaction of most associated ministers. To read the details, please follow this link: http://www.wearemore. eu/2012/12/important-step-forward-in-thecreative-europe-negotiations/ 5
Report on Component 4: Results and actions from the Hellenic Games Jam 13 Teams, 42 Participants, 11 Games developed in 48 hours The first Hellenic Games Jam took place 26-28 October 2012 at Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park as part of the KnowInG Project's Knowledge Fair. The event was co-organised by the Greek partners and the Hellenic Game Developers Association. Fortytwo participants (programmers, graphic designers, musicians, game developers) took part in thirteen teams to collaboratively develop video games under the common, previouslycommunicated theme, which was “Paranormal”. Participants praised the significant role of the rather imposing hall in feeding their inspiration and creativity. In this 19th-century industrial stone
building the developers quietly combined their skills and talents. One Jury Member’s comment was that the building looked like a perfectly spacious incubator, as the teams could spread out, each having their own areas and effectively looking like mini-companies. After forty-eight hours of cooperative creative development the teams delivered and presented eleven video games to the judges’ committee and the audience. The Jury awarded the first three prizes for the best games, which were: 1. “Twin Souls” from NoName3 2. “Spectral Ego” from LevelUp Entertainment 3. “After Dark”from inStorium Games
The event attracted the attention of Media (TV, Radio, Internet media) and collected many positive comments. You can learn more here: http://www.facebook.com/ KnowledgeFairInternational and here: http:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=DvuD65QGsW0.
News in Brief McKinsey’s Innovation Report The McKinsey Innovation Report can now be accessed online here: http://www. mckinseyquarterly.com/Making_innovation_structures_work_McKinsey_Global_Survey_ results_3018. If you would just like to dip into the highlights, take a look at the useful overview: http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2013/01/05/mckinsey-innovation-report-whatstands-out/?goback=.gde_1868227_member_201565522
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