"Phoenix 2010" Northern Periphery Programme Creative Industries Partenariat

The ‘Phoenix 2010’ Partenariat, an Interreg transnational workshop aimed at discussing new approaches to the development of greater collaboration between traditional industries and the creative sector took place on April 21st and 22nd in Portrush, Co. Antrim. The event which was organised by the Department of Finance and Personnel in Belfast and the Special EU Programmes Body in conjunction with the Northern Periphery Programme involved the participation of the BMW Regional Assembly as Regional Contact Point for the programme.

 
The event which was attended by Industry, Higher Education and Public Sector stakeholders from Northern Ireland and Ireland proved to be an excellent opportunity for the creative sector, North and South to come together and discuss the benefits of participating in the Northern Periphery Programme and to maximise the potential for the sector in these regions. The workshop identified project ideas and discussed the necessary changes required to make the collaboration between traditional and creative sectors possible thus stimulating innovation and bringing economic growth to the regions of the Northern Periphery.

The event also looked at ways to enhance the relationship between traditional and creative industries and the public sector. The event followed on from the Programme’s Annual Conference (LAVA 09) which first looked at ways of promoting industry development by focusing on the contribution of the creative industries sector.

It is hoped that a number of transnational collaborative projects will be developed as a result of the event and will be submitted to the Sixth call which opens in September 2010.