Feedback from LABA on the Creative Skills Week 2024 in Amsterdam
Context
From 16 to 20 September 2024, Amsterdam hosted the Creative Skills Week, a professional event organised by the European network Creative FED. Over two days, LABA played an active role in this event, which brought together higher education professionals, entrepreneurs and creators from the cultural and creative sector. Here are the three aims of the event:
- Skills development
The event highlighted the skills lacking in the sector. Participants explored opportunities for further training, in particular through micro-learning and micro-credentials. These tools are a fantastic way of experimenting with how to make the most of people’s acquired skills!
- Supporting the creative ecosystem
The event encouraged collaboration between various stakeholders in the sector. Social events and “speed meetings” provided an opportunity to exchange views with around a hundred participants, including Sophie Guénebaut, an expert on European projects, and Constance Michaud Nancy, project manager at LABA. The aim was clear: to develop local and European solutions and discover projects and innovations in the sector.
- A sustainable future
Several sessions addressed the future of the sector. The focus was on the sustainability of organisations and businesses, in terms of both human and social skills. Discussions focused on the sustainability of ecosystems and the impact of new technologies.
A surprising technological experience... for an event focused on innovation
Thursday’s programme of Creative Skills Week featured an innovative project pitch session. LABA presented its #ENDOs project, an initiative supported by Erasmus+ aimed at empowering women with endometriosis during their care. The event was original in the way it was presented. In a silent room, three pitches were presented simultaneously. The speakers spoke at a lectern, with a microphone and with their presentation behind them. Nothing unusual so far! But the audience members, equipped with headsets, were free to choose which presentation to listen to and switch between them. This innovative approach transformed the usual conference atmosphere into a personalised, immersive listening experience. For 1hr 30min, the presenters captivated their audience with dynamic pitches, creating a unique atmosphere with a visibly engaged audience, despite the ambient silence. The presentation was followed by a networking session, during which inspiring initiatives were explored and new collaborations envisaged.
A landmark conference on the treatment of dementia
One of the highlights of the two days was a workshop on the impact of the creative industries in the field of healthcare, which caught the attention of my colleagues from LABA. Led by experts from the University of Applied Arts Vienna and the Laboratory of Health Humanities in Italy, it highlighted the Demedarts project. This project aims to raise awareness of dementia through artistic educational strategies.
[Translate : NSS EPALE France]
