Collab4HySust CCI in Athens Region: A Collective Leap for Cultural and Creative Innovation in Europe

Article by Emilia Bouriti, director, and Takis Ktenidis, research consultant – Syn+Ergasia International Art Platform; photos by Voula Androni

On February 27 and 28, 2025, cultural and creative innovators from across Europe gathered in Greece for a milestone event under the Collab4HySust CCI project.

Hosted at the Cultural Centre of Municipality of Aspropyrgos and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre in Athens, the event marked an important step forward in collaborative innovation.

The Knowledge Sharing Session 5 (KSS5), titled Review: Collab Innovation Pilots Growing Stronger & Collab for CCI Innovation International Exchange, brought together key stakeholders to exchange insights, strengthen partnerships, and explore new pathways for sustainable innovation in the cultural and creative industries.

This two-day gathering marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of the Collab initiative, dedicated to fostering sustainability and innovation within the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) through co-creation, cross-border collaboration, and experimental pilot projects. Hosted in the historically and culturally rich Region of Athens (Attica), the event provided an inspiring setting for a dynamic exchange of knowledge, experiences, tools, and aspirations.

A Collaborative Celebration of Progress

The event’s structure reflected the core values of the Collab initiative: openness, dialogue, and co-design. On day one, at the Cultural Centre in the Municipality of Aspropyrgos, the focus was on peer review of the innovation pilots, providing a platform for each team to present their journey—what they tested, what they learned, and the impact they have created and aim to sustain in the future. It was a moment of mutual recognition among peers piloting diverse methodologies to address common challenges such as community engagement, sustainability, circular practices, and digital experimentation.

The decision to hold the session in Aspropyrgos—a historically rural, post-industrial, and multicultural city in the Region of Athens—was intended to immerse participants in the local culture and inspire ideas for inclusion. As discussions unfolded, it became clear that many pilots address fragile communities and climate change. Recognizing the cultural diversity and dynamics of regional cities aligns with the goals of innovative projects such as Collab4HySustCCI, supporting their development in meaningful ways.

On day two, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, the focus shifted toward showcasing results and deepening cross-border dialogue, with interactive sessions designed to facilitate knowledge-sharing and strengthen the collaborative ties between participants and other stakeholders. It wasn’t just about exchanging information—it was about fostering a culture of mutual learning, creating a shared vocabulary of innovation, and generating momentum for future initiatives.

The Power of Syn+Ergasia: Working With, Not Just Alongside

The Greek term Syn+Ergasia—meaning cooperation or collaboration—was not just part of the event’s title, but the spirit animating every interaction. This ethos translated into an atmosphere of trust, generosity, and curiosity. Participants didn’t just talk about collaboration—they practiced it in real time, across languages, sectors, and regions.

What made this event particularly impactful was its interpersonal dimension. Beyond the formal sessions, there were informal moments of insight: shared meals, walking conversations, spontaneous brainstorms during coffee breaks. Aspropyrgos and Athens offered not just a venue, but a lived experience of cultural richness and connectivity.

Key Takeaways from the Region of Athens

• Pilots as Laboratories of Change: Each innovation pilot demonstrated how local, grassroots experimentation can contribute to broader European transformation. From circular design in urban contexts to community storytelling in rural areas, the pilots are pioneering new pathways for sustainable cultural practice.
• Exchange is Impact: The international scope of the event elevated every local initiative. Through peer feedback, shared tools, pitching and comparative reflection, the value of each pilot was both affirmed and amplified.
• Building a Common Language for CCI Innovation: By bringing together practitioners, researchers, cultural managers, and policy shapers, the event helped to articulate a clearer shared framework for what cultural and creative innovation is today and where it’s headed tomorrow.
• Athens Region as Connector: The city’s legacy as a cradle of democracy, creativity, and philosophy provided a poetic resonance for the event. It reminded all participants that meaningful innovation is rooted in dialogue, participation, and civic imagination.

A Moment Within a Movement

As captured in the recent review published by Materahub, this event is part of something larger: a collective European commitment to cultural innovation. The Collab project is not just coordinating pilots—it’s weaving a network of trust and experimentation that transcends borders and disciplines.

The Athens Region meeting embodied this ambition. It wasn’t simply a reporting exercise—it was a springboard. The ideas exchanged and relationships built during these two days will echo forward in the coming months, informing new activities, partnerships, and policy conversations.

Looking Ahead

The energy and inspiration generated in the Athens Region will now feed into the next phases of the #Collab4HySustCCI project. In March 2025, the project is being showcased at the  European conference dedicated to cross-innovation CrossCon in Sweden’s Subtopia presented by Petya Koleva, Intercultura Consult. As pilots continue to evolve, the lessons learned during this exchange will shape future iterations, guide dissemination strategies, and spark new collaborative experiments.

More than an event, Collab in the Athens Region was a demonstration of the power of working together, of cultural innovation as a shared European journey, and of the belief that sustainability, inclusion, and creativity must go hand-in-hand.

Stay tuned. The journey continues—stronger, deeper, and more connected than ever.

This project is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the EU, the National Culture Fund of Bulgaria, and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, with additional support from Plovdiv Municipality as an associated partner.