The creative aspect of Achaia and Western Greece highlights TRACES project. The Chamber of Achaia as project partner invited the five Local Ateliers, in the 1st Meeting that took place on the 5th of December 2019, which are specialised in the creative industry and responded to the public invitation to participate in the project’s meeting. The Local Ateliers will collaborate with the Chamber of Achaia to provide training and education services in order to support the creation and development of cultural and creative SMEs/ start-ups in Western Greece region.

Local Ateliers will operate within existing training structures that will allow a pathway to their own economic and operational sustainability. Each one of them will consist of a small team capable of delivering targeted services to the local creative industry through an acceleration program to sustain their growth. Each Atelier will provide support to five creative entrepreneurs.

The 5 Local Ateliers are:

  1. POS4Work (http://www.pos4work.gr/)
  2. Art in Progress (http://www.artinprogress.eu/el/home/)
  3. Patras Science Park (https://www.psp.org.gr/)
  4. Lithografeion Theater (communication through MOSAIC: http://www.mosaic-hub.gr/en/)
  5. Aristidis Stathopoulos (https://www.asteriscos.gr/el/)

During the meeting Atelier’s representatives were welcomed by the Chamber of Achaia and the Manager of AHEPAN, Mr. Kostis Kritsonis. The meeting was also attended by Mr. Yiannis Kalyvas on behalf of the Hellenic Management Association (EEDE) project partner and Mr. Prodromos Vadratsikas on behalf of Knowledge Development Advisory SA, subcontractor of EEDE, Ms. Irini Kafousia, external expert of the Chamber of Achaia in TRACES and Ms. Danai Katsanta, AHEPAN Executive Officer. The meeting was coordinated by Mr. Konstantinos Giotopoulos, Head of the Department of European and National Programs of the Chamber of Achaia (AHEPAN).

In this context of TRACES, the Regions of Apulia and Western Greece aim to promote the activation of an acceleration program to support the creation and development of entrepreneurs in the field of creative industry. To this end, 10 Regional Ateliers will be set up, operating at regional level, 5 in Apulia and 5 in Western Greece while 50 enterprises will be accelerated (25 in Apulia and 25 in Greece).

The project aims to address the common challenge, both in Greece and Italy, of promoting creative entrepreneurship and strengthening the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises of the Cultural and Creative Industry. The project will address common problems affecting the development of SMEs and preventing them from fully exploiting their potential as a driving force for smart, inclusive growth.