Nurturing Creativity for Impact: CROP Project Empowers Art & Humanities Graduates

Article by UPTEC

The inaugural event of the CROP Project, titled “Nurturing Creativity for Impact: Empowering Art & Humanities Graduates,” successfully launched a dynamic initiative aimed at enhancing creative thinking and fostering economic, social, and cultural value.  Held on April 30, the event united stakeholders from diverse sectors to introduce and activate the network for future project activities.

The CROP Project’s inaugural event begins a transformative journey for Art and Humanities graduates. The project aims to create a sustainable impact in the cultural and creative industries by fostering creativity, entrepreneurship, and community engagement.

Emphasizing the intersection of creativity, entrepreneurship, and the arts, the event began by introducing the CROP Project’s vision and goals to more than 50 attendees from different fields and countries.   Then, Daniele Brancati, a project manager at Materahub, presented the CROP Project’s main objectives, partners, and future activities, highlighting the active involvement of HEIs and CCIs and the project’s aim to enhance creative thinking and community engagement.

The event also featured a panel discussion, ‘Entrepreneurship in the Arts & Humanities,’ moderated by André Forte of UPTEC. The panellists, including Gabriella Antezza (Materahub), Farofa (Founder of Kebraku), and Silja Suntola (XAMK), shared valuable insights on strategies for nurturing entrepreneurial skills among Art and Humanities graduates, the role of educators, and the impact of cultural initiatives on social cohesion.

To highlight the importance of challenge-based learning in preparing creatives for the future, Silja Suntola from XAMK gave a keynote talk about emphasizing practical, real-world applications and the benefits of integrating such methodologies into educational programmes.

The CROP Project, funded by the European Commission, aims to develop creative thinking as a skill and lever for building projects of economic, social, and cultural value. By actively involving Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the Culture and Creative Industries (CCI), the project seeks to foster innovative enterprises and initiatives. Its objective is to develop a professionalising master’s degree that equips Art and Humanities graduate students with theoretical knowledge and practical skills, fostering opportunities for internships, job placements, and entrepreneurship.

For more information about the CROP Project and future events, visit the project’s website and follow us on social media, LinkedIn and Instagram, for updates and registration details.