More and more the local policy makers have read Richard Florida so more and more cities want to become a creative hotspot. But can you "build" a creative hotspot? What are the questions you need to tackle and what does Flanders DC do. Spoiler alert: don't make it about renovating old factories but set up programmes to bring people together.

1. FLANDERS DISTRICT OF
CREATIVITY
PASCAL COOLS

2. Helping entrepreneurial
Flanders to become more
creative and creative
Flanders more
entrepreneurial
Our mission

6. Do you have the
creative potential?
Do you have a
state of the art
higher education
institution?
Is there easy and
quick access to
your city from
neighboring bigger
cities?
Do people actually
want to live in your
city?
no no no no PLEASE
STOP
Do you have the plans, partnerships, people and funds to do more than to renovate an
old factory or warehouse?
yes yes yes
yes
Go for it
no
Start getting
these first
before you
move one brick
yes
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN BE A
CREATIVE HOTSPOT

9. THE CREATIVE HOTSPOTS
COMBINES
Concepts of
Science &
Technology
Entrepreneurial
Concepts
Concepts of
Creative
Industries

10. FLANDERS DC’S STRATEGIC AIMS
• MORE AND DIFFERENT INNOVATION
• MORE ENTREPRENEURIAL CREATIVE SECTORS
• MORE CROSS-FERTILISATION
• MORE PEOPLE BELIEVE IT

11. MORE AND DIFFERENT INNOVATION
GO FROM 40% NON-INNOVATORS TO 20%

12. MORE AND DIFFERENT INNOVATION
INSPIRE & HELP COMPANIES TO THINK BEYOND THE LAB
Workshops & tools
Events
Online Knowledge

13. MORE ENTREPREURIAL CREATIVE
INDUSTRIES
• INTERNATIONALISATION
• FINANCING
• ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
• NETWORKING
• INFRASTRUCTURE

14. MORE ENTREPREURIAL CREATIVE
INDUSTRIES

15. MORE CROSS-FERTILISATION
CICI

16. MORE PEOPLE BELIEVE IT

17. A REAL CREATIVE HOTSPOT IS
MORE THAN ABOUT
GENTRIFICATION OR CITY
MARKETING

18. THE KEY DIFFERENTIATOR TO
MAKE IT HAPPEN IS THE
PEOPLE.
FOCUS ON THEM, NOT ON THE
BRICKS.

20. PASCAL.COOLS@FLANDERSDC.BE