In December 2022, the European Creative HUBs Network organized a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Learning Program exchange between two participant HUBs, Cru Cowork in Porto, Portugal, and Artcor in Chisinau, Moldova. The founder and director of Cru Cowork, Tania Santos, traveled to Chisinau to visit Artcor and work with the director, Viorica Cerbusca, and the community manager, Misha Turcanu. The focus of the visit was on educational programs and the transfer of knowledge, a pillar of Artcor’s activities.
Program and Format:
The main format of the program included hosting Tania at Artcor, presenting and discussing different formats for a joint project of an International Creative Digital Academy, studying different forms of financing using the Creative Flip new tool “So you need Money,” and organizing community interactions. The expected outcomes of the visit included brainstorming different possibilities for the International Creative Digital Academy, studying the combination of different forms of financing, understanding similarities and differences, and learning about the context and state of the digital creative work in Moldova and Portugal.
Outcomes:
The teams at Cru Cowork and Artcor discussed different formats and possibilities for the academy, such as online and in-person classes, short and long-term programs, and different target audiences.
Another important outcome was the deeper understanding and appreciation of the similarities and differences between the two HUBs and their respective contexts. The teams at Cru Cowork and Artcor were able to learn from each other’s experiences and strategies, and this exchange will serve as a valuable resource for future collaborations.
Organized Events:
During the visit, two events were organized to engage with the community and share the mission and values of the European Creative HUBs Network. The first event was a private brunch with Artcor residents, where Tania had the opportunity to introduce the network, its values, mission and the future perspective.
The second event was a public discussion on the Future of Education, where Tania together with Artcor managers, curators of several educational programs hosted by the hub, residents, community members and guests of the event discussed how education is changing now. The event was an opportunity to reflect on how hubs now become a magnet for talent and freelancers that have the opportunity to access a huge variety of international expertise and knowledge and how the network can help the hubs facilitate this exchange and make it sustainable.
Conclusion:
Overall, the P2P Learning Program exchange between Cru Cowork and Artcor was a success. The teams were able to achieve all of their goals. They also gained a deeper understanding of each other’s contexts and strategies, which will serve as a valuable resource for future collaborations and gained valuable insides to develop a proposal for an International Creative Digital Academy in the future. Both hubs representatives are happy with the experience and will continue researching the topic further in collaboration. The next round of exchange will be in Porto, Portugal, where a representative of Artcore will be hosted and will look into the perspective of developing a Creative District in Chisinau, based on the experience of Bombarda district in Porto, Portugal.
