Edwards-Schachter, Monica (Valencia (ES) Valencian International University)
Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policies for sustainability transition in the cultural and creative sectors
Authors: Monica Edwards-Schachter, Chuan Li, Shefali Virkar, Charalampos Alexopoulos
Keywords: Citizen participation in public policies and innovation processes, Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries, Socio-technical transitions and systemic change, Emerging technologies and governance
Abstract
This Track addresses the interlinkages between STI policies and the emerging policy field within Creative and Culture Sectors and Industries (CCSI), along with their contributions to the sustainability transition. While CCSI policy roots date back to the early 2000s, the pressing challenges of sustainable transitions and advances in emerging technologies (e.g., blockchain and immersive technologies and generative Artificial Intelligence) have renewed the focus on policies in this area (EC, 2012, 2016; Izsak et al., 2022; Kalliomäki et al., 2024). There is a growing recognition of the CCSI potential to foster innovation, and inclusive growth at local, regional, national, and international levels (Cooke & De Propris, 2011; Koskinen et al., 2012; EC, 2018, 2021; Borre et al., 2023). Science and technology can enhance the innovation capacity of CCSI, while culture and creativity can boost the scalability and user acceptance of STI, mutually supporting socio-technical transitions and driving systemic change (Geels, 2023). Therefore, coordinated policy efforts between STI and CCSI are essential to maximize the synergies between the two fields and amplify their impacts. The New European Bauhaus (NEB) as a flagship EU policy and funding initiative reflects this shift, aiming to transforming environments and lifestyles, based on the integration of aesthetics, culture, and technologies in support of the sustainable transition (Bason et al., 2020). Various EU policies and funding schedules, as the Creative Europe Programme 2021-2027, emphasize social and cultural aspects alongside economic ones (EC, 2018, 2021). In 2022 the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) launched the ninth Innovation Community focusing on CCSI to enhance European competitiveness and prosperity. In particular, the European Design Innovation Initiative highlights the role of design as a key component of industrial policy (Koskinen & Thomson, 2012; Li & Rausell Köster, 2020; Li & Bacete, 2022). Likewise, the European AI Strategy and the recent report on Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence Technologies for the Cultural and Creative Sectors focus on how AI can foster new collaborative models for participation and social inclusion (Izsak et al., 2022). However, there are significant gaps concerning the strategic and practical dimensions of STI and its intersections with CCSI policies in tackling societal challenges and driving the transition toward sustainability (Cunningham, 2013; Kivimaa et al., 2020). A critical issue remains the conceptual ambiguity in defining both “culture” and “creativity” in ways that align with public policies as well as a deep understanding of sociocultural aspects of innovation processes (Galloway & Dunlop, 2007; Edwards-Schachter & Wallace, 2017; Lindqvist, 2024 ). Citizen participation in public policies and innovation processes are central to advancing the so-called triple digital-green-social transition (EC, 2018; Kovaitė et al., 2022; Edwards-Schachter & Matamoros, 2023; Wittmayer et al., 2024). One central purpose is to explore how emerging technologies, including AI, can improve governance through openness, democracy, and inclusion (Kivimaa et al., 2020; Robinson, 2020). The deployment and use of AI in governance contexts can reconfigure actor relationships within society (Helbing et. al., 2023; Sigfrids et. al. 2023), disrupting traditional notions of civic participation in public matters (Birhane et. al., 2022), and creating new ways for citizens to engage with the world around them (Romberg & Escher, 2024). Specific to cultural participation, these technologies have the potential to significantly impact the ways and means by which individuals and groups access cultural artifacts, and the social benefits that these goods and experiences generate (OECD, 2022). CCSI actors, with their inherent creativity and participatory capacity, play a unique role in social innovation, facilitating local solutions and place-based innovations involving diverse stakeholders, such as governments, academics, communities, and businesses (Kovaitė et al., 2022; Slitine et al., 2024). Additionally, the alignment of CCSI with mission-oriented policies can foster a deeper understanding of innovation ecosystems and transformative innovation (Bason et al., 2020; Wittmayer et al., 2024), where creative and cultural projects become pathways for enhancing social participation and tackling digital divides. This track invites researchers and practitioners to engage in a critical dialogue about the social and cultural dimension of STI policies, and the relationships and future of STI policies and policies in CCSI.
Some questions are:
● What is the current state of CCSI policies, and how do they intersect with STI policies?
● In what ways are STI policies within CCSI contributing to the digital, environmental, and social sustainability transitions?
● How do cultural and social innovations facilitate technology acceptance for sustainable socioeconomic development?
● What role do different approaches and methodologies (e.g., place-based innovation, design-enabled innovation, behavioral insights, among others) play in enhancing citizen engagement?
● How do digitalisation and emerging technologies influence cross-sectoral collaboration and social innovation within CCSI?
● In what ways does AI contribute to fostering inclusivity and democratic processes across different governance levels?
● What is the impact of emerging digital cultures on institutionalizing socio-cultural practices in the digital realm?