Founded in 2007 as a network society of the Province of Styria, Creative Industries Styria consider themselves as bridge builders and a network authority between the creative industries and the traditional economy that aims at improving and extending the efficiency and performance in the market for both sides.
Creative Industries Styria have profound knowledge of the Styrian creative scene and best contacts to the traditional economy. Thus, they can precisely identify and define the need for and the regional availability of creative services.
The first Austrian Creative Industry Strategy
In 2016, the Ministry of Economics presented the first national Austrian strategy in terms of creative industries. It mainly puts a strong focus on the innovative and transformative force of the creative community, which means that the creative industries have a great transforming impact on the different fields of the classical economy – especially on the core areas of mobility, health, and green tech – by supporting indispensable innovation. All products, processes and services that are innovative, efficient and future-orientated are characterised by design and usability. Thus, one of the essential aims of this strategy is to strengthen this transforming effect on other economic sectors, public administration and society in total, which means to provide incentives for crossover effects between the creative industries and other business sectors. At the same time they want to increase the knowledge and the awareness of this potential for transformation and the contribution of the creative industries to society or the economy as a whole.
Three strategic areas
Three strategic areas provide the framework for the activities of Creative Industries Styria: Awareness & Location, Impulses & Projects, and Network & Service.
Within these focal points, Creative Industries Styria work externally for the companies and internally for the creative scene, with the goal of optimising the factors fostering a faster development of the enterprises coming from both sectors. Doing so, they assume the role of a double âmissing linkâ, namely the very link which the chain as a functional whole could not do without. The first interface is the one between creation and production: an exchange between the creative industries and the classical economy takes place, which Creative Industries Styria mediates and accompanies. Significant topics are projects for âDesign Transferâ and formats with a focus on âDesign to Businessâ. Creative Industries Styria create the second connection between products and distribution: they analogously and digitally use their network of people, medias, and locations to make Styrian products and ser- vices globally well-known and help sell them. The focus is always the economic success of the companies with creativity acting as the booster that speeds up strategic development processes and the positioning of the businesses. In the end, ideally, there are successful partnerships and best-practice examples, which should encourage other companies to include creativity and design in their corporate activities as well.
Awareness & Location
The duties of Creative Industries Styria are to empower and expand Styria and position it in the overall context of Styrian economy. They act as mediators and contacts, and link creative companies with those, who are interested in cooperation with enterprises of the creative industries. That way they create synergies with positive effects on the entire economy. Innovation processes of companies are directly linked to creative industries, for example through the factor âdesignâ being a missing link between the idea and its implementation. Further, the activities of Creative Industries Styria raise awareness of the value of creative services in general.
Impulses & Projects
Creative Industries Styria has continued to expand their B2B selection, in order to link even more creative professionals and classical companies, which provides a great benefit to the entire economy of Styria. The transforming effect of the creative community on different fields of classical economy constitutes an important part of the first Austrian Creative Industry Strategy of the Ministry of Economics. Due to their manifold B2B selection, Creative Industries Styria create a key tool to unfold these forces. According to the motto âDesign Transferâ they offer a roadmap displaying how design opens up new perspectives in economy and creates specific products and services. That subsequently benefits the overall economic efficiency and provides prosperity, jobs, added value as well as locational advantages for an innovative, creative region.
Network & Service
Networking means service. Service means to make sure that the right kind of people are at the right place at the right time. It is Creative Industries Styria that bring together all the information necessary for complex linking. The master data of the Styrian creative scene are gathered on the website of Creative Industries Styria. A big range of programmes and projects systematically link the single players. Due to effective tools, trend analysis can be derived from the data, which show important impulses for the further development of creative and economical potentials. Creative Industries Styria continuously develop new formats for projects and events to offer a proper stage for creative professionals as well as companies to present their achievements and intensify the cooperation with the classical economy. This way, Creative Industries Styria really follows the guidelines of the first Austrian Creative Industry Strategy: recognise transformational forces and implement them effectively, create synergies, support innovation.
Membership
Since 2013, creative professionals of all fields have been able to join the membership program of Creative Industries Styria. The membership is organised in 3 stages: âFree Membersâ have access to numerous services of Creative Industries Styria without additional costs, such as consulting, being listet on the website or information on events, calls and competitions. âFull Membersâ receive in addition further benefits that range from free lectures and events, to the participation in calls and competitions as well as reduced costs at network meetings, excursions or conferences. The membership fees are graded according to the size of the company. There are special fees for companies with sole proprietorship. âPremium Membersâ are medium- and long-term strategic partners of Creative Industries Styria, who get an individually tailored premium package of basic and special services.
The organisation of Creative Industries Styria
The shareholders of Creative Industries Styria GmbH are SFG – Steirische Wirtschaftsförderungsges.m.b.H, the City of Graz and the Styrian Economic Chambers. Financing is provided by shareholders as well as funds of the Province of Styria (SFG) and the City of Graz, as well as projects partners, project cooperation, and sponsors.
The shareholders of Creative Industries Styria GmbH hold the following stakes:
80% SFG
10% City of Graz
10% Styrian Economic Chambers
