CCC aimed to build and implement an integrated evidence-based strategy for cities to strengthen their innovative capacity. This was done by means of a methodology of joint development and pilot testing of new tools and instruments in the fields of skills development, business cooperation and the development of urban creative clusters. CCC focused on the catalyst role of creative industries in building and strengthening the innovative capacity of these urban economies through the use of a transnational triple helix of government, education and business.

Project outcomes included instruments for skills development for entrepreneurs, masters’ classes and a network for North Sea Region business cooperation. Urban showcases demonstrated instruments on how to establish creative clusters.

CCC was also represented in the DANS Cluster.

Aims
This project aimed to build and implement an integrated strategy for cities to strengthen their innovative capacity by means of a methodology of pilot projects developed and carried out by cities throughout the North Sea Region.

These pilot projects took the triple helix of ‘organisational capacity' of government, educational institutions and private businesses as a starting point, thus contributing to a strong programme of transnational interchange of learning, materials and best practice.

The project provided not only a long-sought contribution towards enhancing Europe's capability to pursue creativity and innovation, but also allowed the North Sea Region to fully realise its potential.

Background
Innovation is recognized as a key driver of the economic performance of cities/ city-regions in the current post-industrial economy. To enhance their innovative capacity, many North Sea Region cities strive to place the ‘creative city' concept on their policy agenda. Still lacking though is an integrated evidence-based strategy for cities to strengthen their innovative capacity that also explicitly takes into account the interactions between these local policies and the goals set in Lisbon and Gothenburg.

• Tested tools and learning material to develop entrepreneurial skills in the creative sector: master classes, e-learning , mentoring network
• North Sea Region business network, business contact points, new cooperation instruments to support linkages within and outside the creative sector
• Instruments to (re)shape urban zones resulting into urban show cases of creative clusters
• Toolkit containing best practises and recommendations for instruments deriving from all work packages