Creative Skills Week 2026
The Creative Skills Week 2026 (CSW2026) is back in Brussels on 6-11 September. This major event will gather Europe's Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI), policymakers, educators, and industry leaders in Brussels to come up with an answer to this question: how can we strategically employ the transformative power of creative skills to tackle broader societal challenges, especially at a time when democracy, technological sovereignty, and social cohesion are under pressure?
Why creative skills?
Europe's future is intrinsically linked to creative skills, i.e. the capacity to imagine, experiment and create from uncertainty. These skills relate to transversal competences that are increasingly recognised as essential to navigate our fast-paced and uncertain world, untangle complexity, adapt to rapid transformation, and strengthen democratic governance through collective action.
Creative skills are developed, tested, and shared primarily through the industry. In this context, cultural practice, creative collaboration, and artistic experimentation are vital in shaping societies and the way we think critically, question assumptions, challenge power structures, exercise freedom, and envision alternative futures. While deeply rooted in cultural practice, the relevance of these skills extends far beyond the CCSI, already driving innovation, shaping narratives, and fostering new collaboration within the sector. Across the wider economy and society, they are crucial for innovation and problem-solving in areas such as education, digital infrastructures, governance, and health.
The conference
CSW2026 aims to move beyond internal sector discussions to forge strategic alliances across different policy and practice domains. Through high-level debates, case studies, and cross-sector showcases, the event will demonstrate with hands-on approaches how creative skills operate and why they offer an (in)valuable perspective that reframes challenges, connects ecosystems, and ultimately enhances Europe's capacity to act.
This event is co-organised by EIT Culture and Creativity, CYANOTYPES, and Creative Futures Academy, together with the Creative Pact for Skills, CREDEX, and the GreenCCIrcle project. Hosting organisations are the ICHEC Brussels Management School and LUCA School of Arts, and is curated by ELIA.