Currently the City of Oulu is bidding for the European Capital of Culture (ECOC) status for 2026. Apparently, a trend has emerged for ECOC activities to have an impact that is felt not only in the cultural sphere, but spreads into the social, educational, urban-planning and even economic and regional dimensions. Programmes have deliberately sought to widen engagement across more diverse audiences — particularly in parts of a city or segments of its population that do not represent customary customers for cultural events. The ECOC can also deliver in terms of prosperity and quality of life for the cities and regions that take part. Culture has become more closely integrated into the long-term development of many of the participating cities and regions. And the cities have in turn benefited from regeneration and new infrastructure, a higher international profile, increased tourism — and an enhanced image in the eyes of their own inhabitants. Participation in the European Capitals of Culture programme has frequently helped achieve many policy goals at regional and national level, too.

The specific objectives of this project are:
(1) to explore the potential of the cross-border creative economy (including tourism) and smart regional growth in connection to new openings related to the Oulu Capital of Culture-2026 project;
(2) to assess the capacities of the local SMEs working in creative industries to expand their market reach by clustering and creating networks in order to meet a larger-scale, more diverse and more complex (international) demand;
(3) to create conditions for creative SMEs to have better access to a wider customer base in the Republic of Karelia and Finland and beyond by facilitating the transfer and development of marketing concepts and models.

The main outputs of the project will be as follows: (a) report, roadmap and recommendations how the use ECOC resources to smart regional growth, incl. the analysis of the barriers hampering the cooperation of creative SMEs for co-creation and customisation of cultural services in the cross-border region; (b) analysis of the training needs of SMEs working within creative industries for clustering and networking for greater market reach; (c) facilitation of practical co-creation and piloting actions to develop and new CBC culture service packages and (d) joint marketing and branding activities to promote the Republic of Karelia and Oulu region as attractive destinations for the cultural touristm.

The results of the project are expected to give boost to creative industry and cultural economy crossborder business co-operation in the Oulu region and the Republic of Karelia. The project will make its impulse for developing the models / concepts for SMEs to reach new clients and expand their market reach. The incentives for small regional growth based upon the resources and possible benefits of the Oulu bid for Cultural Capital of Europe 2026 will be secured. New networks of SME’s will emerge, and new services will be established as a result of co-creation, customisation and service thinking process based on the crossborder cooperation. The recommendations for the regional branding actions are to be prepared for the relevant stakeholders enabled to make the cross-border territories attractive for the people to live and for the tourists to visit. Also, as a result a new partnership network between HEI’s and cultural organizations/institutions in the cross-border will be established. The aim is that the partnership will continue the work actively with common goals in future by preparing and launching larger scale operations or projects.

Project target groups has been identified as follows: (1) Creative Industries entrepreneurs, SMEs, incl. those organised as cooperatives, self-employed individuals, and social enterprises; (2) Start-ups, and existing companies planning/willing to extend business to cross-border and international markets; (3) Students studying the culture management, the creative industries, and other students (with an entrepreneurial mindset) willing to start career in culture sector; (4) Culture professionals and organization working in the regional and municipal cultural settings; (5) Intermediary bodies dealing with the private sector, such as the public sector, regional development agencies, Chambers of Commerce, education and training providers, associations and other bodies representing the private sector. In addition, actors in the export chain that can facilitate trade, such as export agencies, international Chambers of Commerce, trade organisations, sector-specific organisations.