SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT

The "Digital Push for Creative Transformation" (DPCT) project was a 24-month Strategic Partnership (SP) that aimed to create a sustainable and efficient education program dedicated to young people with low digital skills involved in the CCS. DPCT enhanced awareness of the need for training in digital skills for the creative industries and focused on openness and inclusivity in education. DPCT involved the use and development of an open online course on Digital Skills and Social Inclusion for CCS, built as a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), an innovative youth educational program available in English and all partner languages as an Open Education Resource (OER) and accessible to youth with limited digital skills.

DPCT targeted youth working in CCS with low digital skills, mostly freelance and independent workers, who often, due to their precarious positions, lacked the resources for upgrading their education and knowledge. Many youths working in CCS were not attached to any formal institution, being freelancers, members of disadvantaged groups or from minority groups. Gaining digital skills improved their career opportunities by providing access to new digital tools and adding the possibility of new forms of digital expression to their work. 


The cultural and creative sectors (CCS), crucial for the European economy and the well-being of its citizens, were profoundly wounded by the measures taken to fight the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic particularly threatened the future of artists, creators and cultural operators, who were severely impacted by the enforcement of social distancing measures and the consequent postponements, cancellations or closures of events, live performances, exhibitions, museums and cultural institutions. Additionally, cultural employment was precarious by nature; across the EU, almost one-third (32%) of the cultural workforce was self-employed in 2019, compared with an average of 14% for the whole economy (Eurostat, 2020). As a result, the sector included a high range of independent and freelance artists and creators, who often did not necessarily benefit from social protection and unemployment schemes.

It became evident during the pandemic year that the demand for digital cultural content and e-sales of cultural goods and services grew among EU and global populations. To address cultural needs, cultural institutions such as concert halls, opera houses, theaters and museums made their productions and exhibitions available online. They were joined by individual artists, actors, singers, visual artists and even musical ensembles, who streamed their current or past work. However, questions remained about whether cultural sector workers had the capacity to go digital and continue their activity (particularly in CCS where employment was precarious) and if the digital divide concerning equipment, the quality of connection and skills would deepen social and professional inequalities. A digital shift significantly affected the cultural sector, a sector in which, across the EU-27, 1.3 million young people (aged 15 to 29 years) were employed. Young people in CCS represented 17.1% of cultural employment, a proportion slightly lower than the average share of all young people working in the whole economy (17.5%) (Eurostat, May 2020). Therefore, there was a need to enhance the digital skills of young people involved in CCS before such a lack could cause and raise youth unemployment in the CCS.

The project included:

  • 4 intellectual outputs:
    - Digital Competences for cultural and creative sector (CCS) guidelines (IO1),
    - Online Platform (IO2),
    - MOOC courses (IO3),
    - Position Paper on training investments and OERs for raising digital skills in CCS (IO4); 
  • 1 blended mobility BM (C1) in Latvia for 25 young people
  • 4 transnational meetings;
  • 5 Final local conference (one per partner country);
  • Dissemination local events. 
Project title: Digital push for creative transformation (DPCT)
Project code: 2020-1-LV02-KA227-YOU-003699
Duration: 2021-03-01 to 2023-02-28 (24 months)
Coordinator: Latvijas jauniesu attistibas centrs
Partners: PROJUVEN, Sevlievo Municipality, ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE MUSIKART, Warszawska Izba Gospodarcza

CONSORTIUM

Latvijas Jauniešu Attīstības Centrs

Latvia

Asociación
Projuven

Spain

Musikart ArteSpettacolo

Italy

Warszawska Izba Gospodarcza

Poland

Municipality
Sevlievo

Bulgaria