The THA, in cooperation with the University of Messina, Fondazione Rosselli and COTEC intends to organize a workshop in Sicily in early October 2016 to discuss and analyze if, to what extent, and how, and according to which key success factors, Arts and Cultural Heritage might represent in some territories a key asset to rethink regional (social) innovation pathways toward a more dynamics, inclusive, sustainable, environmental savvy, and competitive economic growth.
With six thousand hectares of abandoned industrial areas, 142 coal mines, 31 industrial ports and six million inhabitants, the urban re-conversion project of the Ruhr region presents a very successful example of Social Innovation achieved by Arts and Cultural Heritage valorization. Yet between 1990 and 2000, mines, factories, silos, power plants, mills, and gasometers, have been transformed into arenas, theaters, swimming pools, aquariums and shopping centers. For example, the coking plant, one of the most polluting steel production sites, after being decommissioned in 1992, has been transformed into a museum. The overall operation was the most extensive and complex urban re-conversion plan of the continent: from strategic site of iron and coal production, the Ruhr region has now become the region of Culture, Art, and Entertainment with attention to environmental aspects.
This is just one of the successful cases we would like to discuss during our workshop, and we call for other international cases addressing the following questions:
- How can Arts and Cultural Heritage become a driving force for social change and regional economic development?
- To what extent do different social, economic, cultural, and historical contexts, enable or inhibit social innovation?
- What are the success factors that lead to lasting social change?
- How can cross-sector dynamics be enhanced in order to create sustainable social value?
We would like to receive extended abstracts of 1-2 pages (700 hundred words) outlining the following:
- Description of the case and framework conditions.
- Outline of the underpinning regional dynamics (Triple/Quadruple/Quintuple Helix interactions), financial and support mechanism as appropriate.
- Results and impact including evidence of failure and success.
- Recommendations for improvements, organizational transfer and scalability.
- Conclusions and lessons learned.
The most interesting and successful cases will be selected for inclusion in the workshop panel discussion.
Please send your abstracts to:
*email address protected*
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