The transnational alliance brings together leading organizations and stakeholders representing the cultural and creative sectors from ten European countries: Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Lithuania, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, and Hungary.

The main goal of CR.EU is to strengthen dialogue between regional ecosystems and European institutions, acting as an antenna and a platform for cooperation to identify needs of the cultural and creative sector, share best practices, foster innovation, cohesion and competitiveness within a strategic sector that is facing peculiar challenges.

“With CR.EU,” explained Raffaele Vitulli, newly elected President of the Metacluster, “we have built a stable platform for cooperation among European cultural and creative clusters, with the aim of supporting creativity and culture as key drivers of innovation and of social and economic development across territories.”

“The cultural and creative industries remain a highly fragmented sector,” said Georgiana Mihailovici, Vice-President of the Metacluster. “We need to stay united and broaden participation by engaging an increasing number of members across Europe, in order to foster closer collaboration among the various actors and fields within the sector.”

“The European Commission,” added Gian Angelo Bellati, General Director of the Metacluster, “has long awaited such a broad and representative network. By establishing its headquarters in Brussels, CR.EU aims to foster an ongoing dialogue with the Commission and the Member States to strengthen European policies in support of cultural and creative industries.”

“Looking ahead”, said Maite Debry, representative of TWIST Cluster, the organization in charge of the finances of the Metacluster, “Creativity Europe provides valuable opportunities to initiate new cross-border projects, strengthening the cultural and creative sectors through reinforced cooperation with regions and European institutions”.

The strategic network CR.EU is committed to promoting innovation, sustainability, job creation, and internationalization, consolidating the role of cultural and creative industries as a driving force for Europe’s green and digital transformation.

On 20 October, the first General Assembly of CR.EU was held in Brussels, during which the members of the Executive Board were elected, and the process began to define the services and activities that will involve institutions, enterprises, and stakeholders in the coming months.

The President and the General Director remain available for comments or interviews:
Raffaele Vitulli: segreteria@basilicatacreativa.it
Gian Angelo Bellati: segreteria@venetiancluster.eu