Berlin design reactor

“Berlin design reactor” is a multi-disciplinary R&D project based on the cooperation between Berlin University of Arts and SMEs specialising in trades, materials and technologies, producing over 300 new ideas and 57 prototypes, and leading to 10 new products for the market and five patents pending. The innovative approach of this project was that it worked on product and marketing strategies simultaneously, improving the efficiency of the R&D process and early promotion of the product identity. The project also served as an experimental platform for the Berlin University of the Arts in order to maintain exchanges between different disciplines and fields of activity as well as to promote cooperation and synergies with external economic actors. Berlin design reactor aims to encourage innovative co-operation between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and designers in order to investigate strategies and prospects for post-industrial development in Berlin.

 

Main sector: Arts & Creative Industries / Other sectors: Business & Entrepreneurship, Technology, Science and ICT Education and Training, Society

 

Website of the project: www.design-reaktor.de

 

More information: project file

 

Creative City Challenge (CCC)

In order to be sustainable, innovation requires wider and transnational collaboration. The project Creative City Challenge (CCC) aims to identify, develop and test a powerful strategy supported by a range of instruments and methods, aimed at the development of competitive, innovation-based urban and regional economies in the North Sea Region (NSR) in order to enable it to better contribute to the objectives of the Lisbon Agenda. CCC focuses on the catalyst role of creative industries in building and strengthening the innovative capacity of these urban economies, using a transnational triple helix of government, education and business.

Main sector: Arts & Creative Industries / Other sectors: Business & Entrepreneurship

Website of the project: www.creative-city-challenge.net/

 

Culture Factory

The site of “Culture factory” in Munich (Kunstpark Ost or Kultfabrik) used to be an abandoned factory before it was developed into a maze of bars, clubs, cinemas, concert halls, etc. Culture factory comes with an attractive offer of spaces at a very low price to alternative, sub-cultural and creative initiatives, including galleries, clubs, theatre companies, and others. This mix of space, at an affordable price, and the artistic offer brings benefits to the public, attracting around 250,000 visitors per month. Culture factory has turned out to be a win-win situation for all the players involved: the city, the land owner, artists, visitors and the general public.

 

Main sector: Arts & Creative Industries / Other sectors: Society

 

Website of the project: http://www.kultfabrik.de/

 

More information: project file

 

Experimentcity

Established in 2003 Experimentcity is an innovative approach to study and promote the innovative and sustainable re-use of vacant land and buildings in Berlin for artistic, cultural or ecological purposes. This initiative unites and promotes hundreds of urban development projects through its annual networking event, EXPERIMENTDAYS, and the participative internet platform WOHNPORTAL.berlin. It is the bottom-up approach to involving civil society and local resources to support sustainable urban development through culture and creativity that makes Experimentcity truly unique. The initiative fosters cooperation among various actors (housing and construction project  developers, consultants, enterprises, students, artists and environment activists) resulting in new synergies improving the quality of life and the urban environment of the city. The solutions developed by Experimentcity are timely as the post-industrial city is confronted with shrinking, ageing and diversifying populations as well as the stagnating economy and debts.

 

 

Main sector: Society / Other sectors: Arts & Creative Industries

 

Website of the project: www.experimentcity.net, www.wohnportal-berlin.de

 

More information: project file

 

Lyrix - der Schülerwettbewerb für Dichter mit Klasse

Um die Ausdruckskraft von Gedichten wieder mehr in den Vordergrund zu rücken, bietet "lyrix" Kindern und Jugendlichen ein Forum, um sich mehr mit Lyrik auseinanderzusetzen und unabhängig von Muttersprache und Herkunft eigene Texte zu verfassen und in den Wettbewerb einzubringen.
"lyrix" richtet sich an Schülerinnen und Schüler der Klassen 5-13. Jeden Monat können sie Gedichte zu einem vorgegebenen Leitmotiv per E-Mail einschicken.
Jeweils zum Monatsende werden die fünf gelungensten Gedichte veröffentlicht. Eine Jury ermittelt Anfang 2009 aus den Monatsgewinnern zwölf Jahresgewinner, die zu einem Lyrik-Workshop mit den Lyrikern Norbert Hummelt und Dirk von Peterdorff in Berlin eingeladen werden.

Main sector: Society / Other sectors: Arts & Creative Industries

Website of the project: http://www.dradio.de/dlf/sendungen/lyrix/712836

 

CreaChild - shape the future

CreaChild - the internet based project for creative, socially responsible and future oriented people. Our goal is the development of creativity and talent and the education of children, adolescents and adults. CreaChild’s agenda includes: creativity, innovation, education, health, integration and sustainability. We offer a professional service, networking and a platform for visionary ideas.

Main sector: Society / Other sectors: Education and Training

Website of the project: www.creachild.de

 

Media Exist

“Media Exist” is an initiative consisting of five support projects aiming at ensuring the commercialisation of innovative ideas developed by students and young people working in the media sector. The education, training and networking services of the initiative are in high demand as most media sector workers are employed as freelancers on project basis, making it particularly hard for young media graduates to find their place in the market. Media exist also challenges the stereotype that arts and business cannot go together, by providing consultancy services on business start ups and concepts as well as training courses in marketing, financial planning and management. The service provides the creative professional with the necessary skills and contacts for
commercialising his or her idea, ensuring its sustainability as well as creating and promoting a strong professional profile.

 

Main sector: Business & Entrepreneurship / Other sectors: Arts & Creative Industries, Education &Training

 

Website of the project: www.mediaexist.com

 

More information: project file

 

Method Passport

“Method passport” is a diverse training offer developed by the Innovation Support Centre of the Chambers of Industry and Commerce in Hesse to boost the innovation ability, process management and thus the competitiveness of the companies in the region. The training workshops targeted middle and top-level managers as well as other professionals, providing them with a toolbox for the introduction, management and improvement of innovation processes in their companies. Since the beginning of the project, Method passport has trained 500 people through 32 workshops. The practical applicability of the knowledge gained during the practice’s workshops and the high  professionalism of the trainers have been listed by the participants as the main strengths of Method passport.

 

Main sector: Business & Entrepreneurship / Other sectors: Education &Training

 

Website of the project: www.innovationen-machen.de

 

More information: project file

 

Signs of the City

The project “Signs of the City – Metropolis Speaking” developed an innovative way of encouraging youths to examine and understand the multicultural environment of their cities. The project organised workshops for young people led by professional artists and photographers in four European cities: Berlin, Barcelona, London, and Sofia. The results of these workshops were presented in exhibitions and compiled in an electronic database. The diversity of visual signs of urban culture compiled by the workshop participants were also analysed in cooperation with the major cultural and scientific institutions of each country. The project not only stimulated the desire to learn about cultural  diversity among youths through artistic activities, but also brought together artists, researchers and institutions from the participating cities in creating a completely new image of each European city.

 

Main sector: Arts & Creative Industries / Other sectors: Education and Training, Society, Science, research and ICT

 

Website of the project: http://signs.urbandialogues.de/, http://www.citipix.net/, http://urbandialogues.de

 

More information: project file

 

The adventures of Tesalino and Tesalina

The so called "Geschichten-Erfinder-Bastel-Wettbewerb" (story-innovator-handicraft-competition) for primary and special schools which is realised with tesa AG in Germany started in 1999 and supports the development of different skills like reading, creativity, teamwork and social competence. Every year a certain issue is purported. In the past these were e.g. pirates, world undersea, rainforest and currently energy/power saving. The children finish the beginning of a thematic story that is written by an author of childrenbooks. Beyond that they have to perform a thematic handicraft-task. Every other activity realised in the context of the project is requested, e.g. excursions, interdisciplinary activities, the implementation of plays, audio books etc.

Main sector: Education and Training / Other sectors: Society

Website of the project: www.stiftunglesen.de/tesalino

 

The International Sustainability Initiative Germany

The project covers 3 vital areas. Through “Greening Education” module it aims at greening curricula, reducing CO2 emissions of education facilities and making education institutions as models of sustainability within their communities. The “Human Capital Development for Sustainable Economies” module aims at creating human resources that are required for green economies. It will help both public bodies and private companies in equipping their organisations for meeting environmental challenges. The third module of this project deals with “Banking for Sustainability” and helps in designing products and services to finance green technologies. This module also supports financial institutions in reducing carbon foot-print of their facilities.

Main sector: Education and Training / Other sectors: Society

Website of the project: http://www.etechgermany.com/en/sustainability_initiative.html

 

The Little Scientist’s House

The “Little Scientist’s House” has provided 200,000 children with the opportunity to discover their interests and talents in natural sciences and technology. The “Little Scientist’s House” foundation has organised workshops where children’s interests have been encouraged and stimulated by teachers. During these workshops, children have worked together to solve problems and exchange ideas. This co-constructive education process has stimulated curiosity and enthusiasm about natural sciences and technological phenomena. The workshops have also provided children with basic competences, such as learning, language and social competences and motor skills.

 

Main sector: Education and Training / Other sectors: Science and Technology

 

Website of the project: www.haus-der-kleinen-Forscher.de

 

More information: project file

 

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