Seminar to close the project Creativity and Knowledge: Basis for a New Urban Competitiveness

In the seminar, organised by the Research Group on Creativity, Innovation and Urban Transformation, several prestigious experts will participate, such as Sako Musterd (University of Amsterdam), Ali Madanipour (University of Newcastle), Paul Rausell (University of Valencia) and Marisol García (University of Barcelona). Businessmen from creative industries and the knowledge sector and some representatives of public institutions will also participate.

One of the most relevant conclusions of the project CREAURBS is the fact that the factors to play a remarkable role in the development of creative and knowledge regions depend on the ability of the cities to take profit of their own resources and the economic tradition of the territory. Life quality factors, such as leisure offer or the number of green areas than a city has, are more important in order to decide the location of creative and knowledge activities than they are in the case of traditional economic activities.

Nowadays, new interactive ways are arising as an alternative to traditional economic activities, so cooperation and networking are replacing conventional competitiveness. Consequently, cities are opened to dialogue and communication between public and private actors. The project also concludes that innovation at public institutions is completely necessary to adapt policies to the necessities of creative and knowledge industries.

Finally, low productivity, overrating of labour and inability to create new jobs have been identified in the four analysed cities.