A look back at the EIT Culture & Creativity Innovation Forum: Creativity meets Circularity

An ambitious European context

In a European context marked by the Green Deal, the New European Bauhaus and the Circular Economy Act, the event is part of a dynamic of systemic transformation linking sustainability, economic innovation and social cohesion. The aim is to make the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) drivers of circularity and inclusion.
 

22 April: Sustainability and local ecosystems at the heart of discussions

The first day, hosted in the exceptional setting of the Théâtre des Franciscains in the historic centre of Nice, opened with institutional speeches, followed by an inspiring lecture by Winy Maas, co-founder of the MVRDV architecture firm.

Round tables explored themes such as:

• Local cultural and environmental ecosystems, with speakers from Friche la Belle de Mai, Opéra Grand Avignon and Aix-Marseille University.
• The Southern Region as a living laboratory for innovative cultural initiatives, with representatives from the Relais Culture Europe, the Southern Region, the CNRS and the Campus des Métiers et Qualifications des Industries Culturelles et Créatives.
• A dialogue on European values around the New European Bauhaus (NEB) with Ambra Trotto (EIT Culture & Creativity) and Annemie Wijkmans (CRAFT Lighthouse Project).

The day ended with a creative networking session to encourage connections between European partners.
 

23 April: Thematic sessions and political perspectives

The second day, organised on the Trotabas Campus of Université Côte d'Azur, focused on parallel sessions dedicated to the five priority sectors of the EIT Culture & Creativity:

• Fashion
• Architecture
• Cultural Heritage
• Audiovisual & Media
• Video Games

These sessions highlighted concrete projects, technological innovations and circular business models, illustrating the diversity and richness of the sector's contributions.

The afternoon was devoted to new European policies for innovation, with high-level speakers including:

• Barbara Stacher (European Commission),
• Anna Linden (EIT Governing Board),
• Luigi Amati (Business Angels Europe),
• MEP Dr. Christian Ehler (European Parliament).

A shared vision for the future

The forum also saw the launch of the EIT Culture & Creativity Resilience Initiative, aimed at strengthening the sector's capacity to meet future challenges.
All in all, the Innovation Forum 2025 proved to be a place where innovation, sustainability and creativity converge, where exchanges helped to shape a more circular, inclusive and resilient future for Europe's cultural and creative industries.
 

Photos of the event

 

The MIN4CI Foundation: A Foundation for culture and creativity, connecting regional initiatives to Europe

The Mediterranean Innovative Narratives Competence Center for Cultural and Creative Industries (MIN4CI) was set up by Université Côte d'Azur, Aix-Marseille Université, Avignon Université and the Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur Region to join forces in the field of cultural and creative activities.

A hub for training, research, innovation and incubation, the MIN4CI foundation federates the various players in the sector (academics, local authorities, public and private partners, cultural institutions) in the region and contributes to its influence at European level as a founding member of the EIT Culture and Creativity.

The foundation and its members were represented at the Innovation Forum by a number of speakers on various panels:

•    Jean-François Trubert, President MIN4CI, Head of CCI, Université Côte d’Azur
•    Muriel Dal Pont Legrand, Vice-President European Affairs, Université Côte d’Azur
•    Alban Corbier-Labasse, Managing Director, la Friche la Belle de Mai
•    Edina Soldo, Vice-President MIN4CI, Vice-President Culture, Aix-Marseille Université
•    Audrey Biscarrat, Head of Strategic Economic Sectors, Région Sud
•    Ariel Mendez, Vice-President Law, Economics & Management, Aix-Marseille Université
•    Eliesh Sahyoun, Architect, Université Côte d’Azur
•    Isabelle Brianso, Vice-President MIN4CI, Vice-President Culture, Avignon Université
•    Rémi Corbineau, Operational Manager ARKAIA, Aix-Marseille Université
•    Francesco Federici, Cultural Project Manager, Aix-Marseille Université
•    Charles Meyer, Associate Professor, Université Côte d’Azur
•    Claire Godart, Project Manager FiCCTION, Campus des Métiers et des Qualifications ICC
•    Céline Berthoumieux, Director CHRONIQUES
•    Djelloul Arezki, Head of CCI, Aix-Marseille Université

The forum was also an opportunity for several doctoral students from MIN4CI's three member universities to present posters related to their theses:

• Laure Antunes, Avignon Université: Exhibiting Egyptian mummies in museums: tensions between ‘legal standards’ and ‘museum ethics’. What contributions can 3D imaging and scenographic techniques make?
• Cassandra Haller, Aix-Marseille Université: Developing entrepreneurial skills in arts training programmes: employability issues for creative workers
• Hugo Lauret, Aix-Marseille Université: Cultural organizations faced with the paradox of the digital transition and the ecological transition: what levers for action?
• Thomas Alexis, Aix-Marseille Université : Ethnography of practices in a cultural organization: ‘making third places’, forms and practices of institutional work
• Gwenaëlle Prigent, Université Côte d'Azur: Innovation dynamics and entrepreneurial ecosystems: the structuring of the cultural and creative industries sector on Cannes Territory
• Charline Callet, Université Côte d'Azur: Immersive art as a sensitive and sensorial reappropriation of cultural heritage
• Sarra Chamam, Université Côte d'Azur: Artificial intelligence and scriptwriting: strategies for players

The Innovation Forum was co-organised by the EIT Culture & Creativity and the MIN4CI Foundation and received support from the IdEx of Université Côte d'Azur. Many thanks also to the students of the MSC ‘Musique à l'image / Music for Visual Media scoring and Sound Design’ at Université Cote d'Azur for their help in organising the event.