The capacity-building programme is an important part of IN SITU project, enabling CCIs in non-urban regions across Europe to advance and become drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship, competitiveness and sustainability. During one-year period (September 2023-Seprember 2024), we organised a series of interactive group workshops and seminars, as well as individual mentoring sessions in the IN SITU LABs, located in six non-urban regions of Europe: Azores archipelago, mid-Atlantic Ocean, Portugal; Western coastal periphery, Ireland; West Region, Iceland; Rauma and Eurajoki, West Coast and Baltic Sea archipelago, Finland; Valmiera county, Latvia; and Šibenik-Knin County, Croatia.
The training topics were elaborated based on initial research among the local CCIs, artists and arts entrepreneurs, and corresponded to the priorities of these regions. We discussed, analysed and tried to find solutions in a collaborative mod on important themes, such as: applying for EU funding, financial and fundraising opportunities, networking and partnership, audience engagement, visual and written storytelling, applying digital technologies, social and business entrepreneurship, sustainability strategies in CCIs, and others. The training sessions were held in a hybrid form, both offline and online, and attracted arts entrepreneurs, artists, creative teams, cultural managers, cultural policy-makers and experts from the targeted regions and from other countries. We also arranged networking events, stakeholders’ brunches, and conferences to present the IN SITU project among local communities. The feedback provided by the participants was very positive, especially concerning the content of the training, the balanced mix between theory and practice, the professionalism of the facilitators and speakers, the interactivity, and the opportunity for networking and sharing during the sessions.
The capacity-building part of IN SITU project consists also of targeted mentoring sessions with the twelve identified case studies in these regions. Mentors from the IN SITU consortium partners and the mentees had regular meetings, both offline and online, to seek diverse perspectives, solutions to problems, and new ideas, in areas such as: strategic management, internationalisation, marketing, branding, managing resources, communication with communities and stakeholders, local partnership, sustainability.
The training and mentoring process was led by the IN SITU team of the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts “Kr.Sarafov”, Bulgaria, in close partnership with: Bifrost University, Iceland; Latvian Academy of Culture; University of Turku, Finland; University of the Azores, Portugal; Kultura Nova Foundation, Croatia and the University of Galway, Ireland. Local facilitators and presenters were also involved in the workshops and seminars, to provide specificities and practical tips related to the local context in which CCIs operate.
What is next? We will continue the work on the capacity-building programme of IN SITU project by offering further online training sessions and mentoring upon specific requests. We will also concentrate efforts on writing a full Report on the mentoring and training activities across the six LABs, as well as Methodological guidance on how to conduct workshops and seminars in the field of capacity building for innovation and entrepreneurship in non-urban areas. Stay tuned: follow us on social media and IN SITU website!
