Two new features are now launched on the CreativesUnite platform: a new funding tool that will complement CulturEU, called “So, you need money” will explain what funding is available in addition to EU sources, including at regional, local, national level and including also private sector funding as well as additional functionalities. A second tool will facilitate Cultural and creative sectors navigating  Intellectual Property Rights (IP) and Patenting.

The Creatives Unite” platform, a platform for and by the cultural and creative sectors has been set up with the help of the Commission and the EP Pilot project “FLIP (Finance, Learning, Innovation and Patenting for CCIs)”, which is run by the European Creative Hubs Network; consortium leader is the Goethe Institut.

The Creatives Unite platform offers a common space for all cultural and creative sectors in Europe and beyond to share their initiatives and actions in response to the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. It has been very well received by the sectors, reaching almost 60.000 users of the platform since its launch at the beginning of May 2020, with currently 1470 published posts on the platform. The platform can be searched by Sector, Action and Area, including search by country. A weekly social media campaign “Creatives Unite Features” highlights particularly interesting posts and contributions every week. The platform has a “Contribute”-button, through which direct contributions can be made.

In response to the crisis in Ukraine, Creatives Unite has a specal feature on its landing page: https://creativesunite.eu/the-voice-of-the-ccs-in-response-to-the-ukrainian-crisis/, highlighting cultural and creative sectors responses and initiates linked to the Ukranian crisis and a direct “contribute” button. Ukraine now features third in terms of published posts, with 62 published posts (after the UK and DE).

The CreativesUnite platform also has a mobility search tool for different cross-EU mobility actions, residencies etc. available to makers and cultural and creative professionals.

The CreativesUnite platform is currently developing new features: a funding tool for cultural and creative professionals and also an IPR tool – both are a value added and are something CCS had wished for. The FLIP funding tool complements and builds upon CulturEU and also addresses stakeholder feeback: The new tool goes beyond EU funding, as it adds CCSI funding sources at regional, local, national level and includes private sector funding as well as additional functionalities and links to CulturEU.