"<< Background >>The main aim of the Project CREATIVE AGENTS is to support VET providers in the adaptation of their training offer to changing skills needs in the CCI sector thus enlarging the training offer to more sustainable, green and digital skills by creating a new job profile, the Creative Agent, who will encompass entrepreneurial spirit, digital knowhow and a green approach to their practice. Creative Agents will be capable of creating synergies among different economic sectors and will be able to strongly communicate and coopèrative with local communities and actors.CONTEXTA recent study requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education (2021) demonstrates how Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS hereinafter) have been among the most negatively affected by the Covid-19 pandemics. It also points out that CCS were already characterised by fragile organisational structures and working practices. The fragmentation of the value chains, the project-based working and the (not well-protected) Intellectual Property were already elements hindering the development of the sectors which have been only exacerbated by the pandemic. CCIs all over Europe are now in need to:●develop new competences that will allow them to work on the new post-pandemic scenario●become aware of their role in local communities that potentially could ensure a recover and new development not only for the sectors but for the entire local dimension they are working in●be able to activate processes of innovation also in other sectors thanks to the power of creativity and its application (so generate social impact, cross-fertilization with other sectors for innovation), well being for local communities Other community stakeholders, touched by this project, will see an answer to the needs of●designing future development creative driven●becoming aware of the potential of culture and creativity to heal the society and activate sustainable development To counteract this trend and attend to the mentioned needs, the Creative Agents project invests in the professional training of new facilitators and practitioners who will be able to be more resilient and adaptable during changing and evolving times. The Creative Agent will be able to adopt innovative strategies to better account for the role of cultural and creative sectors, promote greater complementarities between culture and other economic sectors, support cultural and creative entrepreneurship as catalysts of new models of economic and social value creation, invest in digital infrastructure that can amplify advances in cultural and creative sectors.Therefore, the project aims at making the training offer of VET providers more relevant to the current and future needs of the economy and society. The partnership will work to develop a new VET programme in order to bring the vocational training offer closer to the requirements of the labour market, especially in the sector of CCI.Creative Agents project foresees the development of an open online platform through which users (CCI experts, practitioners and professionals but also VET providers and trainers) can benefit from learning in an autonomous way. Online training is today widely used as the chosen work-based training medium. TARGET GROUPS:According to our project the main targets are expected to be Creative and Cultural Industries experts, practitioners and professionals but also VET providers and trainers in the CCIs, artists, cultural and social entrepreneurs as well as people interested in self-entrepreneurship.Other categories include: Public and private cultural or creative institutions, small cultural and creative enterprises and other related entities, tourism agencies, chambers of commerce, representatives of sectoral/national/local organizations, associations, foundations, SMEs from other industries that are keen to create synergies with the CCI industries.<< Objectives >>OBJECTIVESThe main aim of the project CREATIVE AGENTS is to provide the professionals or future professionals in the Creative and Cultural Sectors with the necessary creative, green and digital skills to develop alternative sustainable practices that adapt to the needs of the CCI sector and promote the cross-fertilization of arts, culture and sustainability. It will do so by creating a CREATIVE AGENT training Course that creates a new job profile, the Creative Agent, who will encompass entrepreneurial spirit, digital knowhow and a green approach to their practice. Creative Agents will be capable of creating synergies among different economic sectors and will be able to strongly communicate and cooperative with local communities and actorsThe Specific Objectives (SO) are:The project builds on sustainable alternatives to train a new professional figure capable of:SO1. Put in practice new innovative solutions and sustainable alternatives;SO2. Work with new partners at community level so to increase the participation of local stakeholders;SO3. Adopt smart digital distribution formats;S04. Collaborate with the CCS practitioners to create joint actions and movements at local level;SO5. Contribute to the well-being of citizens, social innovation and cohesion.Furthermore, the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations is the reference framework for the Creative Agents. The new professionals will possess knowledge and skills on how to mobilise citizens, organisations and institutions to act sustainably and respect the environment. Creative Agents will be able to make cultural and creative sectors integral parts more sustainable, innovative and cohesive societies. Furthermore, the project objectives are closely linked to the ones addressed by UNCTAD:1. To integrate CCS in the post-pandemic economic growth strategies increasing the professionalisation and employability of Creative Agents;2. To promote the creation of decent jobs by accelerating the training in sustainable cultural and creative tourism, arts, heritage conservation and community based activities;3. To contribute to the creation of a knowledge-basedcreative economy in which human creativity and ideas are vehiculated through technology, collective expressions and the respect of the cultural values and diversity of the communities;4. Finally, to reinforce the interaction between CCS and sustainable development by creating enabling environments for green growth, innovation and community empowerment.All in line, our project follows up with the New European Bauhaus initiative. We want totake green and digital challenges as opportunities to change perspective andtransform our lives for the better by contributing to the creation of a bridgebetween the world of science and technology and the world of art and culture. Transnational cooperation:This project could never achieve the planned results if it was implemented by organisations from a single country. The synthesis of partners signifies cross-sectorial cooperation in Vocational Education and Training (VET).The project objectives are concerning all the countries involved. The partnership has an inter-regional character with organisations coming from countries (Italy, Cyprus, Spain and Greece) at different stages of development relevant to the project target groups and activities, with distinct geographical, social, cultural and economic characteristics. This diversity facilitates the exchange of best practice and policy- learning; an important added-value.Through this partnership that tackles common challenges in the Creative Sector and in Sustainable Local Development, the partners are joining forces instead of reinventing the wheel. Transnational cooperation is our key for knowledge generation and exchange, which will allow the partners and the local society each of us represents to stay ahead of developments by pooling ideas and resources.<< Implementation >>DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES- METHODOLOGY TO BE USED IN THE PROJECTThe project proposes to develop a new job profile, the Creative Agent, who will acquire new marketable skills, highly relevant in the post-epidemic scenario and based on the evolving labour market requirements of the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) sector. The new training programme will support VET providers in the adaptation of their training offer to changing skills needs in the CCI sector thus enlarging the training offer to more sustainable, green and digital skills.The project will produce the following Project Results (P.R) with the following activities:Design Research to produce the PR1 "" Occupational Profile of Creative Agents.”The partners will: Take part in the Stakeholders Committees; Implement desk research; Implement focus group; Compile research project from countries, content development.Development of the PR2 “Toolbox for Cultural Economy Labs”The partners will: Implement Desk research to study existing models of co-creation/co-design labs; Implement brainstorming session/focus group; mapping tool and carrying cultural labs in each country; Creation of the Toolbox with a methodological guide.Development of the PR3. "" Creative Agents e-learning platform & Deus Platform community of users”The partners will: Create the e-learning platform, adapt the contents, and realize pilot tests.RESULT DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY 1- A first approach based on assessment on the needs of the CCs which will lead to the development of the Occupational Profile of the Creative Agent. (R1) A report on the analysis about new trends in CCs with a sustainable approach, competences, training needs and entrepreneurship opportunities is created.A report on the results conducted with the expert’s groups and focus groups and its implications is elaborated and shared with the partners to be taken into consideration in the designing of the course. With the result provided we will select the modules and start with the development of the training.With all the inputs provided in PR1, and with the conduction of a desk research and a focus group we will be able to set up the structure for the toolbox with the methodology to organise the cultural labs PR2. The feedback collected from the cultural labs will support us with the final development of modules for the CREATIVE AGENTS training.PR2- Toolbox for Cultural labs and Final development of training program:PR3 – CREATIVE AGENTS E-Learning Platform In the third result, the partners will work to convert this training program into an e-learning platform. It will also include a set of questions and answers to perform the self-assessment. All the contents will be published on the electronic platform. A user manual for the platform with a video will be created.Within the PR3 Pilot tests will be carried out to verify that the contents of the Courses are in accordance with the objectives set and as a first staging of the project.Additionally, the final platform will be tested in pilot evaluation meetings, with the professionals from the sector.Additionally, following activities are planned under the implementation WPs (WP1, WP4)WP1 – Management - Creation of administrative guidelines; - 4 Transnational meetings + meeting minutes.- Evaluation: meetings evaluation questionnaire, project progress questionnaire, Results evaluation tools and multiplier events evaluation questionnaire; - Evaluation Reports: mid-term and final evaluation report, Result reports;- Project Risks Analysis (PRA). WP4 – Dissemination and exploitation - Project graphic design; - Project website; - Project mailing list; - Newsletters; - Informative brochure. - Creation of Social NetworksAdditionally, we are going to implement meetings with local stakeholders, transnational project meetings of the partners and multiplier events in all the cou<< Results >>PROJECT RESULTSThe project will produce the following Project Results (P.R)PR1. Occupational Profile of Creative Agents. The first result will be development of an Occupational Profile of Creative Agents The first result will serve to compile all the necessary information through qualitative and quantitative studies and an expert forum and focus groups with Creative Sector organisations in order to select the contents to develop the training program.PR2. Toolbox for Cultural Economy Labs The result will be a toolbox that project targets, creative sector or actors involved in social innovation/economy, will use in order to plan, organize, deliver and monitor (the impact) the Cultural Economy Labs. The toolbox will be supported by a methodology on how to run the labs and will provide a list of instruments, procedures, tricks that creative sectors will be able to use on the labs. The definitive version of the Creative Agents course will be created.PR3: Creative Agents e-learning platform & Deus Platform community of users.In the third result, the partners will work to convert this training program into an e-learning platform. It will also include a set of questions and answers to perform the self-assessment. All the contents will be published on the electronic platform. Within the PR3 Pilot tests will be carried out to verify that the contents of the Courses are in accordance with the objectives set and as a first staging of the project.Additionally, the final platform will be tested in pilot evaluation meetings, with the professionals from the sector.OUTCOMES/ IMPACTThe CREATIVE AGENTS PROJECT aims to create a new learning and training programme for Creative Agents who will encompass entrepreneurial spirit, digital knowhow and a green approach to their practice. Creative Agents will be capable of creating synergies among CCs but also other different economic sectors, put in practice new innovative and sustainable solutions and, in addition, the “CREATIVE AGENT” will be able to strongly communicate and cooperative with local communities and actors.Creative Agents foresees the development of an open online platform through which users (CCI experts, practitioners and professionals but also VET providers and trainers) can benefit from learning in an autonomous way.Based on n Design Research (PR1), the partners will produce a methodology guide and Toolbox to implement Cultural Labs (PR2) and the training for the CREATIVE AGENTS. All the P.R. will be hosted in an e-learning platform. (PR3).POTENTIAL LONGER-TERM BENEFITApart from the above tangible results, the project will produce intangible results such as:- An increase in entrepreneurial skills with the improvement of specific training in innovation, creativity, green and digital skills that will allow them to work on the new post-pandemic scenario- Promoting the cross-fertilization of arts, culture and creativity with a sustainability approach.- Raising awareness of the importance of culture and creativity to heal the society and activate sustainable development -Put in practice new innovative solutions to power creativity and its application (Generate social impact, cross-fertilization with other sectors, wellbeing for local communities.- To promote new local, regional and /or national projects to improve the skills and training.- Increase the mobility and connection of creative professionals between EU countries- Lead to the adoption and use of training materials that would be developed by a wide range and number of training providers.- Complete the gap between theoretical and practical training in the actions to be taken to improve opportunities in creative industries.-Collaborate with the CCS practitioners to create joint actions and movements at local level;- Contribute to the well-being of citizens, social innovation and cohesion."