Creative Communities for the Silver Coast

The application "Creative Clusters in Urban Areas of Low Density", recently approved by the European Union, will be led by the Municipality of Obidos (Silver Coast - Portugal). It was one of the 24 approved applications, among 120 projects across Europe.

This is a partnership with four European cities (Reggio Emilia - Italy, Mizil - Romania, Enguera - Spain and Catanzaro - Italy), and aims to enhance the economic, social and territorial dynamic’s of low density areas, with creative activities functioning as motors of the local communities.

It will be then extended in a second phase, another five to seven partners, three of which need not be cities. The draft budget will be 710 thousand euros for the two phases: the first stage (development), with a period of 6 months and the second phase (implementation), with duration of 30 months).

The project is based on the assumption that the creative activities can be the driving force of economic development as well as social and territorial cohesion of small towns, against the traditional trend of exodus of the population (particularly the young population) for big cities. The creative activities, in addition to generating employment, create value and promote integrated local economic development, have also to take up as central strategies in marketing or affirmation of the image and identity of cities and/ or regions, can make it become more attractive to the establishment of new businesses, residents and visitors.

In this context, the goal is, first, attract creative people (including families of young talent, creative adults undergoing change of career and retired assets…) and, secondly, attract small businesses in the areas of creative design, crafts, Art, antiques, music, advertising and architecture, which are the result of entrepreneurship assets of talents who want to live and work in these creative communities.