Collaborating for more resilient skills in the cultural sector

The Valletta Design Cluster team within the Valletta Cultural Agency moderated two workshops with the aim of analysing challenges experienced by the cultural and creative industries at a local level and to understand whether there are any shared issues which can be tackled through collaborations locally and internationally. This was done as part of DeuS (European Open Design School for Sustainable Regional Development), a two-year Erasmus+ project the Agency is a partner in together with nine other entities active in European regions.

The workshops, which tackled the importance of openness and collaboration as key components in the education and formation of artists and creatives, both within institutional settings as well as in more informal ones, were attended by various cultural and creative practitioners coming from public and private organisations, freelancers, educators and policy-making entities based in Malta and Gozo.

Participants agreed that collaborations across disciplines and backgrounds lead to added value in projects and to personal and professional growth, while also discussing challenges faced by collaborating creative practitioners, arising from differences in agendas, the difficulty in bringing together different disciplines and the lack of time to fully explore varying ideas and approaches. In all stages, an openness to critical thinking and dialogue, both internally and with the wider social issues, is fundamental for the sector to grow and thrive.

The project builds on the Matera Open Design School experience, which like the Valletta Design Cluster, encourages collaborations among practitioners with different backgrounds to develop projects and address social and cultural issues in close contact with the local communities.

The Valletta Design Cluster within the Valletta Cultural Agency, a legacy project of Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture, is a community space for cultural and creative practice situated in the renovated Old Abattoir (IlBiċċerija l-Antika) in Valletta. It focuses on design, entrepreneurship and social impact, while supporting and promoting user-centred design as a catalyst for innovation and as a multi-disciplinary approach that can create positive impacts for communities and individuals.

To learn more about the project visit www.deuscci.eu or contact info@deuscci.eu. To learn more about the Valletta Design Cluster project visit their Facebook and Instagram pages or contact info@vallettadesigncluster.org by email or phone on: 2258 2441