Creative Hubs and Urban Development Goals (UK/Brazil)
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: English
Abstract
This project will contribute to international development by working with governmental, academic, and creative industry partners in Sao Paulo, Brazil to inform the design and operation of new publicly funded creative hubs. Creativity, digital inclusion, and the beneficial social impacts of a growing creative economy are key to the development goals of the State of Sao Paulo. Having invested significantly in the past in accessible IT facilities to enable access to digital technologies for disadvantaged communities, the State now recognises that digital inclusion is insufficient in itself to achieve their development goals, and is thus seeking to re-purpose these facilities as Creative Hubs that can support entrepreneurial activity, facilitate networking and collaboration between SMEs, and generate positive economic outcomes for disadvantaged communities within the State of Sao Paulo. They have a strong interest in working with researchers from Creativeworks London (CWL) and from the University of Sao Paulo (USP) to inform the methodology they will adopt to facilitate co-creation, networking, and collaboration within their creative hubs, and see this as a pilot for more significant and sustained collaborations in the future. This project builds on research into creative hubs undertaken within the AHRC-funded CWL project from 2012-16. This research has been widely disseminated internationally. Research partners from the USP participated in a workshop exploring the CWL methodology and research findings related to creative hubs in 2015. The CWL PI (Shiach) gave a keynote lecture at the ABRAPCORP Conference (Communication and Cultural Industries) in Sao Paulo in May 2016. This research visit was supported by People's Palace Projects (PPP), which has an outstanding record of UK/Brazil collaboration with a focus on culture and creativity. This project will support knowledge exchange with an impact on cultural and creative organisations and businesses in Sao Paulo. It will enhance the value of the original CWL project by examining how some of its major research findings can make an important contribution to policy development in other cities around the world - especially in the Global South. The project will contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals by focusing on two areas: Goal 8, 'promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all'; and Goal 11, 'make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable'. In terms of the contribution that Arts and Humanities research can make to international development, this proposal will make a contribution in two areas: first, by supporting emerging creative economies, creative practices and creative hubs in ODA recipient countries; and second, by developing the potential for arts and humanities research to catalyse knowledge exchange between higher education institutions, state government, and creative SMEs in Sao Paulo.
Planned Impact
This project will contribute to international development by working with governmental, academic and creative industry partners in Sao Paulo, Brazil to inform the design and operation of new publicly funded creative hubs. This project builds on research into creative hubs undertaken within the AHRC-funded CWL project from 2012-16.
The target users and beneficiaries will be reached through non-academic and academic partners in Brazil. The Government of Sao Paulo (Technology and Urban Services Secretariat) will draw on CWL's research to shape its approach to establishing a new creative hub in Sao Paulo and developing appropriate methods to enable collaboration within that hub. It will facilitate access to SMEs in the creative economy and will also draw on the research and impact generated by this project to shape a large-scale project of investment in creative hubs across the State of Sao Paulo. The International CI (Nakano)'s extensive networks in the creative economy will be used to support engagement in the creative voucher scheme and in the research, and to aid broad dissemination and impact of the project's outcomes. The Creative Voucher scheme will build collaborative partnerships focussed on the business needs of the creative economy in Sao Paulo. PPP's extensive experience of creative projects that enable social transformation has been based on networks that will support elements of the impact of this project and of CWL's work more broadly.
The project will reach government, SMEs in the creative economy, researchers, managers of creative hubs and policy makers in Sao Paulo. The development of creative hubs is a key strategic aim of the Government of Sao Paulo, with an aim of enhancing digital inclusion, building entrepreneurial, business opportunities and skills for disadvantaged communities, and supporting cultural and economic development.
The outcomes and outputs will be disseminated through two events held in Sao Paulo in early 2017. The first will be a workshop for businesses and entrepreneurs who will be involved in a new creative hub in Sao Paulo, exploring methodologies to enable creative collaboration. The second will be a conference exploring the policy implications of the research, the impact of creative hubs on their local communities, and the impacts of the creative voucher projects.
The creative voucher projects will be evaluated to identify the benefits and impacts of university/SME collaborative research in Sao Paulo. This will be compared to the outputs of the creative voucher scheme run as part of CWL.
The Impact of CWL's advice on the approach to recruiting SMEs for a new creative hub will be reviewed with the project partners. The robustness of new networks will be tested through the development of a larger-scale collaborative bid.
In terms of longer term sustainability, this project is understood by all partners as a pilot, to enable a subsequent larger-scale collaborative research project focussed on the role of creative hubs and on new models of funding SMEs in the creative economy in Brazil and the UK. Applications to AHRC/FAPESP and to AHRC/Newton are being considered, and will be developed by partners during this project.
The target users and beneficiaries will be reached through non-academic and academic partners in Brazil. The Government of Sao Paulo (Technology and Urban Services Secretariat) will draw on CWL's research to shape its approach to establishing a new creative hub in Sao Paulo and developing appropriate methods to enable collaboration within that hub. It will facilitate access to SMEs in the creative economy and will also draw on the research and impact generated by this project to shape a large-scale project of investment in creative hubs across the State of Sao Paulo. The International CI (Nakano)'s extensive networks in the creative economy will be used to support engagement in the creative voucher scheme and in the research, and to aid broad dissemination and impact of the project's outcomes. The Creative Voucher scheme will build collaborative partnerships focussed on the business needs of the creative economy in Sao Paulo. PPP's extensive experience of creative projects that enable social transformation has been based on networks that will support elements of the impact of this project and of CWL's work more broadly.
The project will reach government, SMEs in the creative economy, researchers, managers of creative hubs and policy makers in Sao Paulo. The development of creative hubs is a key strategic aim of the Government of Sao Paulo, with an aim of enhancing digital inclusion, building entrepreneurial, business opportunities and skills for disadvantaged communities, and supporting cultural and economic development.
The outcomes and outputs will be disseminated through two events held in Sao Paulo in early 2017. The first will be a workshop for businesses and entrepreneurs who will be involved in a new creative hub in Sao Paulo, exploring methodologies to enable creative collaboration. The second will be a conference exploring the policy implications of the research, the impact of creative hubs on their local communities, and the impacts of the creative voucher projects.
The creative voucher projects will be evaluated to identify the benefits and impacts of university/SME collaborative research in Sao Paulo. This will be compared to the outputs of the creative voucher scheme run as part of CWL.
The Impact of CWL's advice on the approach to recruiting SMEs for a new creative hub will be reviewed with the project partners. The robustness of new networks will be tested through the development of a larger-scale collaborative bid.
In terms of longer term sustainability, this project is understood by all partners as a pilot, to enable a subsequent larger-scale collaborative research project focussed on the role of creative hubs and on new models of funding SMEs in the creative economy in Brazil and the UK. Applications to AHRC/FAPESP and to AHRC/Newton are being considered, and will be developed by partners during this project.
Organisations
- Queen Mary University of London (Lead Research Organisation)
- QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Collaboration)
- Universidade de São Paulo (Collaboration)
- Ori Mirim (Collaboration)
- Government of Brazil (Collaboration)
- Multitude (Collaboration)
- Maternativa (Collaboration)
- Sao Paulo's State Government (Project Partner)
- People's Palace Projects (Project Partner)
- Impact Hub (Global Network) (Project Partner)
Publications
Nakano D
(2020)
Coworking spaces in urban settings: Prospective roles?
in Geoforum
Poli K
(2020)
'Creative Hubs and Cultural Policies: A Comparison between Brazil and the UK'
in European Journal of Cultural Management and Policy
Poli K
(2020)
Creative Hubs and Cultural Policies: A Comparison Between Brazil and the United Kingdom
in European Journal of Cultural Management and Policy
Shiach M E
(2017)
Comunicação, Economia e Indústrias Criativas
Shiach M E
(2017)
Report on Creative Hubs and Urban Development Goals (UK/Brazil)
Description | Research was undertaken on the constitution, governance, management, funding models, and outputs of two 'Creative Hubs' in Sao Paulo. This uncovered an important division between Hubs that operated within the 'Innovation Field' and those within the 'Cultural Field, and also demonstrated the possibility, and the benefits of, building networks across these two fields. The creative vouchers used on the project help to enable this. The project team had planned to advise the Government of Sao Paulo specifically on the mix of SMEs and entrepreneurs who might be invited to join their first creative hub being developed in 2016. Financial pressures meant there was a delay in establishing these new Hubs, but this went ahead in 2018. The project also facilitated four co-created projects involving creative economy companies and entrepreneurs and academic researchers from the University of São Paulo, which produced new business models, and a range of other economic and cultural impacts. Three new creative hubs were launched by the Government of Sao Paulo in 2018, and the USP PI (Nakano) was invited to participate in the review of their effectiveness in 2019. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on shared workspaces within the creative economy in Brazil has been significant. However, with further support from FAPESP the research team has gone on to investigate the economic benefits of coworking in Sao Paulo in 2020. |
Exploitation Route | Companies supported by research through a creative voucher have continued to work with researchers beyond the end of the project, and have implemented key changes to their businesses. Policy findings have been captured in a Policy Report, which was shared with the State Government in December 2017 and led to state investment in shared workspaces in 2018. |
Sectors | Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Government Democracy and Justice |
URL | https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk |
Description | They have been used by the State Government of Sao Paulo to inform their approach to urban development though the creation of new and accessible creative hubs and shared workspaces. A member of the research team was invited to contribute to the review of three new State-supported creative hubs in 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a particularly significant impact on the creative economy in Brazil. The research team has conducted further research on the economic benefits of coworking for the creative economy in Brazil in 2020, which has been disseminated through journal publications. |
First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
Sector | Creative Economy |
Impact Types | Cultural Economic Policy & public services |
Description | SP Govt Policy Report |
Geographic Reach | South America |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | FAPESP Research Grants |
Amount | R$ 30,000 (BRL) |
Funding ID | 2018/26755-1 |
Organisation | São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) |
Sector | Public |
Country | Brazil |
Start | 11/2019 |
End | 07/2021 |
Description | QMUL Humanities and Social Sciences Collaboration Find |
Amount | £23,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 07/2017 |
Description | CaosArte |
Organisation | Multitude |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Supported co-created research project to address their business needs. Researcher was Julia Taunay (USP doctoral student). SME reported 'being in close contact with the university was incredible ... This experience of putting and engineer to think about the company's culture was incredible'. |
Collaborator Contribution | Creative content producing SME. In partnership with the researcher, the business re-ceonceived its product offering and its customer profile. A new value proposition was developed for the company through the collaboration. |
Impact | The researcher, who is a Ph.D. student gained significant insight into the creative economy, The business was able to identify and develop a more sustainable business model. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Maternativa |
Organisation | Maternativa |
Country | Brazil |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Supported co-created research with this business, which provides a marketplace for entrepreneurial mothers. The researcher was Prof Andre Fleury (USP) |
Collaborator Contribution | Having begun the collaboration with plans to develop online learning materials, the company responded to information about business models and changed its plans to launching an online marketplace for entrepreneurs. They identified the development of an e-commerce platform as their key priority, and planned to access appropriate skills development to enable this. The company said, 'if this project had not happened ... we would have gone in the opposite direction, and we would have failed'. |
Impact | The company radically changed their business plans and identified the development of an e-commerce platform as their key priority. They also planned to access appropriate skills development to enable this. The company said, 'if this project had not happened ... we would have gone in the opposite direction, and we would have failed'. One month after the voucher collaboration ended, the company effectively launched their new e-commerce platform, and are now sourcing funding via a Crowdfunding site. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Ori Mirim |
Organisation | Ori Mirim |
Country | Brazil |
Sector | Learned Society |
PI Contribution | Used a creative voucher to support a children's education initiative, which was part of a creative Hub. The researcher was with Prof Leonardo Gomes (USP). |
Collaborator Contribution | Engaged with the researcher to consider models for sustainability for the education initiative and for the creative businesses located within the hub. |
Impact | Adaptation of operational and financial management tools. The business said, 'Going through this process ... was very constructive, and we were able to open up taboo subjects, such as money' and the researcher reflected on the importance of 'understanding a real problem, understanding the limitations of knowledge and trying to move forward in that knowledge.' |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | PPP |
Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
Department | People's Palace Projects |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Providing the methodologies to enable effective knowledge exchange with creative economy businesses in Brazil. |
Collaborator Contribution | Supported innovative work with academic and creative economy partners in São Paulo and enabled significant extension of networks of creative economy businesses and institutions and with academic researchers. Played a major role in enabling creative sharing of research findings during the international conference. |
Impact | Report, Policy Report, Conference, development of bid for future work, presentation at AHRC International Development Summit |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Polytechnic School, university of São Paulo |
Organisation | Universidade de São Paulo |
Country | Brazil |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Creative Hubs and Urban Development Goals was a follow-on funded project for Creativeworks London, which I directed and on which Dr Virani was a PDRA. We shared CWL's methodologies of knowledge exchange with the creative economy with USP colleagues, and jointly revised the model we had used used for creative vouchers London to fit the SP context. Together we piloted six creative voucher projects, and undertook research on two creative hubs in São Paulo. We also provided policy advice for the State Government of São Paulo related to their plans for public investment in creative economy hubs. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Polytechnic School, University of São Paulo contributed very significantly to research and knowledge exchange activities, building on their detailed knowledge of the creative economy in São Paulo. Researchers from other Schools at USP also contributed as researchers on creative voucher projects. The senior researcher at USP (Nakano) facilitated policy exchanges with the State Government and the City Government of São Paulo. |
Impact | Report on Creative Hubs and Urban Development Goals (UK/Brazil) (2107); Policy Report on Creative Hubs and Urban Development Goals (UK/Brazil); International Conference, São Paulo April 2017; business impacts derived through creative voucher process; development of bid to AHRC/FAPESP for further collaboration. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | State Government |
Organisation | Government of Brazil |
Department | State Gov Sao Paolo in Brazil |
Country | Brazil |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Advice about the optimal governance and management models for public-funded creative hubs |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to policy makers, participation in international conference, commitment to continued collaboration, agreement to sign MoU with QMUL and USP |
Impact | Policy Report, International conference, development of future research plans |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Vanzolini |
Organisation | Universidade de São Paulo |
Department | Vanzolini Foundation |
Country | Brazil |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | We brought experience of designing and delivering creative vouchers |
Collaborator Contribution | Took responsibility for the administration of creative voucher funding in São Paulo |
Impact | Report, Policy Report, business benefits from creative vouchers |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | AHRC International Development Summit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Gave a panel presentation and a 'lightening talk' on this research project, highlighting the relevance of the methods deployed and the partnerships built for international development. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Keynote lecture at NECCULT, Porto Alegre |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Keynote lecture lecture for 'Dialogues in Creative Economy' series at the Centre for Creative and Cultural Economy (NECCULT), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alegre, Brazil, with participation also of the Brazilian Forum for Cultural Rights. The talk was to a diverse and large audience of policy makers, representatives of the Ministry of Culture, creative economy businesses, and academic researchers. The aim was to disseminate the findings of the project and to underline the implications for creative economy policy in Brazil and in the UK. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.ufrgs.br/obec/neccult/noticia.php?id=152&titulo=EMPREENDEDORISMO+EM+INDÚSTRIAS+CRIATIVAS+... |
Description | Network: QMUL Centre for the Creative and Cultural Economy |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Creation of the Network website to facilitate knowledge exchange with the creative economy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Sao Paulo Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Creative economy businesses, including some from São Paulo's periphery, engaged with business challenges and policy questions for the creative economy in São Paulo along with representatives from the City and State Governments, from the British Council, from SESC, from the University of São Paulo and other Brazilian universities and from QMUL |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |