Presentatie tijdens deelsessie over 'Government' op het 9de congres van het Technopolicy Network, dat plaatsvond op C-mine in Genk

1. Welcome
Wim Dries
Mayor Genk – 18.09.2012

2. Small cities can
make a difference
Culture – Creativity – Innovation
The key to success

3. John Cleese:
“If you want creative workers, give
them enough time to play”

4. Creative industries as drivers of
regional growth & cohesion
6th Cohesion Report (2009) focuses on ‘creative and
innovative regions’ to contribute to deliver the Lisbon
Strategy.
- Regional dimension
- Dynamic in soft and hard innovations
- Cross-sectoral impact

5. Creative and cultural clusters for
European regions
Definition for ‘creativity’: multi disciplinary way of
mixing culture, art, innovation and technology
- Creative industries: strong high tech / R&D content;
manufacturing or services; anchored but mobile
- Cultural industries: mass production of artistic content =
cultural enhancement of economy
- Experience economy: the commercialisation of
experiences, heritage & tourism, …

6. What creative policy for Europe?
- Investment in human capital Talent
- Tolerance towards soft and artistic skills
- Understandig of places’ cultural resources and their
economic value
- Combination of soft and hard innovation
- Combination of manuf+services hybrid goods and
services with strong and unique competitive advantage
- Local and global linkages (digital tech, media, ICT)

7. Conclusion:
Cultural Creative Industries
depend on talent, context,
networking and entrepreneurial
dynamism
Bron: Dr. Lisa De Propris – University of Birmingham – Birmingham Business School

8. Creativity and
design in Genk

9. 1. Communal policy: room for design
Design = part of the city’s innovation policy
Growing towards a creative manufacturing and know
how economy
• By reinforcing the economic structure
• By supporting new entrepreneurship
• By preventing the brain drain
Design as a lever for the communcal policy and
supporting private initiatives

10. 2. Ideas / points of view of design
Aesthetic surplus value in the city scene
Renewing and broadening communal
Economic development opportunity
City’s marketing instrument
Levers for development

11. Kattevennen –NPHK

12. Public library

13. Privat living

14. 2. Ideas / points of view of design
Aesthetic surplus value in the city scene
Renewing and broadening communal
products
Economic development opportunity
City’s marketing instrument
Levers for development

15. O-parade – 1st of May
Creative talent in Genk

16. Creations in public area
Column - Luciano Fabro Pieter Vermeersch

17. Gadgets and souvenirs
“Genker servet” Linde Hermans 1st of May egg cup Wristband
GenkonStage
Piet Stockmans
Michaël
Verheyden

18. 2. Ideas / points of view of design
Aesthetic surplus value in the city scene
Renewing and broadening communal products
Economic development opportunities
Fostering and stimulating the potential
Creating a fertile soil
Bringing forth innovative projects
City’s marketing instrument
Levers for development

19. Fostering and stimulating the potential
A solid ground for creative entrepreneurs in
Genk & Limburg
Nascom Painting with Light
HUMIN Carbon
Michaël Verheyden
Eden Design

21. City motive:
Turning problem situations into opportunities
A diverse conversion process

22. Give the site, with respect to the past,
a new and significant function within
the city
Strong and impressive
industrial heritage
Extensive complex of monumental
buildings - buildings and
interior/equipment are classified -
conversion is no simple task
Give the site a powerful role in the
Genk city label: innovation,
creativity and sustainability

23. 4 development pillars: creativity as carrier
Tourism & recreational offerings
1 Tourism, slag heap, cultural heritage
Stimulating creative economy
2 Projects, business center, companies,
2 business events
Artistic creation and presentation
3 Stage rooms, exhibitions, meetings,
products and projects
Education: Media & Design Academy
4 Faculty of Arts

24. 2. Ideas / points of view of design
Aesthetic surplus value in the city scene
Renewing and broadening communal products
Economische ontwikkelingsopportuniteit
Economic development opportunity
City’s marketing instrument
Levers for development

25. Instruments for marketing
Fortify the image and the promotion potential of
the city
Increase the city’s attraction
Stress the city’s entrpreneurial charachter through
innovative initiatives
Communicating through new media

26. 2.Invalshoeken van design
Aesthetic surplus value in the city scene
Renewing and broadening communal products
Economische ontwikkelingsopportuniteit
Economic development opportunity
City’s marketing instrument
Levers for development: Thor Park Waterschei

27. HARDWARE
THOR PARK WATERSCHEI

28. High-quality
business park
Science Park
Main Building

29. Main Building
- Facilities: restaurants, MICE, childcare, …
- Leisure Edutainment
- Manifesta 9 (June October 2011)

30. High-quality business park
- Small & Medium size users
- Large space users
- Public private
partnership for
infrastructure
development

31. Science Park
- In cooperation with K.U.Leuven / KHLim /
UHasselt / LRM / POM
- Foundation of
Holding with
subsidiaries for
infrastructure
development

32. Science Park - ENERGYVILLE
- Pioneering Company
- Collaboration between K.U.Leuven / VITO
/ IMEC

33. “Another word for creativity
is courage”

34. “Creative people cluster in places that
are centres of creativity and also
where they like to live”
- Richard Florida

35. Thank you!
www.genk.be - info@genk.be
You can find this presentation on:
www.slideshare.com/wimdries