cultureFWD in collaboration with Salzburg Global Seminar (SGS) is hosting its first interactive/ educational workshop for all types of artists, creators, and cultural social entrepreneurs on 23 June 2015.

This workshop will focus on ways in which the Greek culture and creative sectors may respond to the current social and economic challenges and it will create connections to the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators (SGS-YCI).

Through inspirational talks and interactive workshops delivered by internationally acclaimed culture professionals, cultureFWD workshop participants will share and collaborate on ideas, strengthen their ties, and gain knowledge and tools to boost their work and visibility. In particular, they will explore:

• Aspects of the Creative Economy, through dialogue facilitated by Shelagh Wright and Peter Jenkinson, co- facilitators of the Salzburg Young Cultural Innovators Forum and members of various creative economy think tanks,
• Entrepreneurial Thinking, through skills-building sessions with Sam Conniff, founder and chairman of Livity, a 'more than profit' youth engagement agency, and
• Social Innovation, through skills-building sessions with Cassie Robinson, founder of Point People and co-founder of Tech For Good TV, The Civic Shop and the Civic Crowd. 

This workshop is part of the greater plan of cultureFWD to help reinforce the role of culture and the arts in society and the economy.

Initiated by five Greek SGS Fellows, with incentives and support gained from the 2014 SGS-YCI program, cultureFWD aims to generate the conditions in which the cultural and creative initiatives of Greece may thrive. In this context, the objectives of cultureFWD are to help unite the ideas and forces of the country, to facilitate the sharing of resources and expertise, to provide fruitful learning and networking experiences and to develop advocacy tools that will highlight and support the potential of the country's cultural and creative industry.

Towards this end, cultureFWD focuses primarily on the mapping of the cultural and creative entities and on coordinated actions that promote networking, learning and co-creation. The conference is the first of this series of actions and a milestone in the mapping process, which so far has provided evidence for a rich database and has confirmed the thirst for unity and mutual support between those who are active in the cultural and creative field. 

The workshop is the outcome of the work done by the Greek SGS Fellows at the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators 2014. Fellowships for a number of Greek participants in the YCI Forum in years 2014 & 2015 are supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. The YCI Forum is a ten-year project launched by Salzburg Global Seminar to engage the world's most dynamic young cultural innovators in cross-cultural exchange and learning and to enable them to excel in their fields. Every year, 50 participants from around the world are invited to a 5-day program in Salzburg that combines theory and practice, with keynote presentations focusing on "big picture" issues facing the cultural sector and with skills-building sessions on entrepreneurial thinking, communicating mission and message, leadership, digital resources, and team-building. Please click here for more information on the 2015 SGS-YCI session.

Applying the successful SGS model in the regional context, cultureFWD aims to break new ground for the culture and creative industries of Greece, by forming a regional hub that highlights the value of the arts, promotes the work of local creatives and connects them to a global community of cultural innovators.

Participation in this workshop is free of charge.

Please note that the workshop will be conducted in English.