Cultural and creative micro-enterprises in particular in tourist areas were gravely affected by COVID-19 due to travel restrictions and the lockdown. Relying on the traditional business model that favours face-to-face communication with the customer, these small businesses were particularly hit and were unprepared to address the changes that COVID ensued. The pandemic however came to bleakly highlight the already existing lack of digital competences that puts these small businesses in a disadvantaged position, decreases their competitiveness and will lead them to exclusion from the opportunities of the digital era.
Within this framework, our new Erasmus+ project “GRACE” aims to tackle this problem and support professionals in the creative and cultural sector in this situation. Specifically, we are working in collaboration with organisations from Romania, Spain, Portugal, UK, Cyprus to develop an innovative online tool to support micro-entrepreneurs and professionals in the creative and cultural sector to boost their digital competences, strengthen digital entrepreneurship and foster a digital hub for creativity and innovation that will put them back in the growth track and mitigate the pandemic adverse impact.
The project aims to:
- Develop the GRACE online educational platform for micro-enterprises to receive training tailored to the needs of the creative and cultural sector
- Equip cultural and creative micro-entrepreneurs with digital competences to successfully position their business in the digital era and advance their competitiveness and growth
- Establish Digital creativity and innovation clusters and Networks to strengthen transfer of knowledge, creative and innovation thinking
- Increase the knowledge and availability of resources for adult educators working in the field so as to be fully equipped in supporting microbusinesses
- Strengthen the transnational policy dialogue on training support of the creative and cultural microbusinesses for their sustainability and growth
