Creative Clusters Conference in Transilvania

David was a guest speaker at a creative clusters conference in Cluj-Napoca in the Transilvanian region of Romania.

The Transylvanian Clusters International Conference (TCIC) was organised by the Northern Transylvanian Clusters Consortium and held in the city of Cluj in September 2019.

creative clusters conference in Cluj-Napoca

David pictured with Ania Pascalau and Laura Suteu, who led the conference organising team.


David gave a presentation on “Key Challenges in the Creative Industries”. He spoke about creative entrepreneurship and the need to provide business support to creative people in innovative and appropriate ways.

He referred to his successful project in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, in which business support was tailored to the needs of the individual creative and digital businesses. Jobs were created in excess of the targets over the two years of this innovative project.


Interview with David at the Creative Clusters conference in Cluj, Transylvania, Romania.

(And “There is no longer a job for life” was the message from David Parrish when interviewed for the Italian magazine Il Giornale dell’ Architettura.)


“David shared his insights about clusters and hubs worldwide, based on his experience of working with creative entrepreneurs around the world. He also provided inspiration about how we can all be more creative in the way that we organise clusters or do business in the creative sector. The feedback from David’s presentations was very positive and we hope to work with David again.”
Laura Suteu. Northern Transylvania Clusters Consortium
www.transylvanianclusters.ro


Creative clusters

At the creative clusters conference, David gave a speech on ‘Transformation through Creativity’. He talked about the creative industries worldwide, using the UK definition of the creative industries: “those industries that have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent, and which have the potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property”. At the ground level, this relates to businesses including web site designers, video and film makers, musicians, architects, photographers, performing artists, fashion designers, arts and crafts, digital animation, computer games and the performing arts.

David gave examples of creative clusters from around the world, based on his extensive international experience, mentioning cities including Bogotá in Colombia, Christchurch in New Zealand, Liverpool in the UK, and other examples.

David also talked about artistic creativity and a wider kind of creativity that is found in all fields of human endeavour, as set out in his TED Talk at TEDx Napoli.

He talked about his Business Creativity Workshops with businesses in the creative industries and other sectors, which help people to generate new ideas using a range of creative thinking techniques.

His message was that we can learn from other creative clusters around the world, adopt some of their ideas but then adapt them to local circumstances. Crucially, we should use the momentum of what is already happening on the ground in the local situation, both in terms of districts and creative activities.


To complement his speech and presentation at the creative clusters conference, David offered several free business development resources in various languages, including eBooks, videos and how to devise a winning Business Formula.
The following resources can be downloaded and shared:

T-Shirts and Suits: A Guide to the Business of Creativity (eBook in English)
The free eBook version in English is available here. Also published as a free eBook in some other languages. Further translations can be arranged, subject to a publishing agreement – see ‘Translations’ below.

Free Online Courses for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurs – Marketing and Strategic Planning
Online learning courses available free worldwide, with a certificate provided at the end of each course.

Create Your Own Business Formula
Article about devising a winning business strategy in the creative industries. In English and several other languages available here.

Free extracts from book ‘Chase One Rabbit: Strategic Marketing for Business Success. 63 Tips, Techniques and Tales for Creative Entrepreneurs’
Several sections of the book are published free of charge, plus videos about the book. Written especially for businesses in the creative industries.

‘Ideas in Action’ articles
Various articles illustrating cool business techniques from creative entrepreneurs around the world, available here. Some have been translated into other languages. These can be downloaded, printed and shared online.

Creative, Cultural and Digital Industries Guide
Business Link guide with case studies and information about marketing, intellectual property, financial management etc in the creative industries. Available here

Videos
Various videos are available and can be embedded from the T-Shirts and Suits pages of YouTube and Vimeo.

Articles on the T-Shirts and Suits blog
These blogs can be republished in print and online provided they are not changed or sold. Please share them with colleagues, clients and contacts in the creative industries worldwide. An author credit and link must be included.


David works in partnership with Creative Hubs world-wide, to help them make their creative enterprises even more successful.

He has delivered creative business development workshops and business growth presentations at creative hubs, accelerators, co-working spaces and creative business centers in Thailand, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Vietnam, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Spain, Malaysia, Indonesia, Colombia, Kosovo, New Zealand, Ireland, Belarus, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.


creative clusters conference in Cluj-Napoca

creative clusters conference in Cluj-Napoca

conference in Cluj-Napoca

 

conference in Cluj-Napoca

David Parrish speaking in Cluj