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EMCCINNO: Supporting Sustainable Climate Transitions in Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

Ongoing project

February, 2025 - January, 2028
The Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) are recognized as crucial players in addressing climate change, a major threat to Europe and the world. CCIs not only raise awareness about climate issues through cultural and artistic activities but also have the potential to drive systemic innovation and contribute to the EU Green Deal, which aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.
However, many CCIs, especially small and medium-sized organizations, face significant challenges. They often operate with constrained budgets and staff, making it difficult to adapt to climate-related challenges. As global warming accelerates, these organizations are becoming more exposed to risks such as extreme weather, resource scarcity, and infrastructure damage. And while many CCIs address ecological issues through art and culture, they often lack the organizational capacity to integrate these efforts into sustainable business models that can scale their impact.

EMCCINNO (EMpowering CCIs to boost systemic INNOvation for sustainable climate transition) is a project aimed at helping Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) adopt sustainable business models. CCIs play a critical role in raising awareness and driving climate innovation, but many small and medium-sized organizations face challenges like limited resources, climate vulnerability, and a lack of integrated sustainability tools. For this reason, EMCCINNO aims to bridge this gap by providing tested, sustainable business models for Cultural and Artistic Social Enterprises (CASEs), which combine artistic, social, and ecological goals.

Under an interdisciplinary approach, five organizations have been selected—BeTime, FBDM, JACC, KÖME, and ZK/U—to design and test prototypes tailored to their needs.

What will EMCCINNO do?

  • Develop and test prototypes of sustainable business models tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized CCIs in five Member States (Spain, France, Portugal, Hungary, and Germany)
  • Build a framework for sustainable business models that can be adapted to different CCIs across Europe
  • Systematize the lessons learned from the prototypes into a comprehensive, open-access toolkit for CCIs.
  • Create an online, open-access toolkit that includes self-assessment tools, training materials, and resources for CCIs to adopt sustainable business models and improve their organizational, ecological, and cultural/artistic capabilities
  • Establish a European-level Community of Practice involving CCIs, policymakers, and other stakeholders to share knowledge and best practices
  • Organize national training workshops to train other CCIs in sustainable business model planning
  • Produce policy recommendations and an endorsement package (including a white paper) to influence cultural and climate policies at the national and EU levels

 

Partners Involved:

The project is led by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France), in collaboration with:

 

Stay tuned as we work to create lasting change and empower cultural industries across Europe to lead the way in sustainable climate transition!