The Challenge: Brussels Creative Industries Facing Globalisation
Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) constitute a strategic pillar of Brussels’ economy: 22,000 companies, over 100,000 jobs, and turnover exceeding €13 billion (post-COVID data). However, despite this local vitality, Brussels CCIs struggle to internationalise: lack of export resources, unfamiliarity with international opportunities, absence of structured support for trade missions and cross-border cooperation.
This paradox – locally dynamic creative ecosystem but weak international visibility – represents lost economic opportunities and diminished positioning for Brussels on the world stage.
The Opportunity: Structure International Support Ecosystem
In June 2022, hub.brussels created the CCI platform (Creative Hub) to structure support for Brussels creative businesses. A field survey (September 2022) with 50+ stakeholders identified internationalisation as strategic priority.
In March 2023, hub.brussels validated the roadmap and launched the Internationalisation Working Group. Creative District became co-leader in June 2024, bringing distinctive positioning: authentic field knowledge of Brussels CCIs (via Tag Brussels, Innovation 4 Society), international network and project experience, EU-Africa cooperation presence (Morocco, Senegal), and proven capacity to translate grassroots insights into actionable policy recommendations.
Strategic Objectives
The Internationalisation WG does not provide direct company support. It develops tools, policy recommendations, and strategies enabling support actors (hub.brussels, other structures) to effectively support Brussels CCIs’ international expansion. Creative District’s role centres on authoring strategic policy documents, developing methodologies, contributing to international benchmarking, and translating field insights into actionable government recommendations.
1. Provide Financial and Structural Support for Internationalisation
Identify existing and missing financing mechanisms for CCI export and cooperation, recommending creation or adaptation of specific schemes (subsidies, export guarantees, international cooperation funds). The strategic Roadmap authored by Creative District maps these financial support needs and proposes concrete implementation pathways for policy-makers.
2. Strengthen International Visibility of Brussels CCIs
Develop visibility strategies including presence at major international events, coordinated communication, “Brussels Creative” brand positioning, and targeted campaigns. Creative District’s Roadmap recommendations draw from international mission experience (NUMIX LAB Munich/Leipzig/Berlin, MTL Connect Montreal) and ongoing Africa cooperation activities.
3. Create Solid International Cooperation Network
Structure strategic partnerships with key CCI ecosystems across Europe, Africa, and North America; facilitate B2B matchmaking; develop sectoral cooperation programmes. Creative District’s established European networks (Built4People, NEB) and operational EU-Africa presence (Morocco, Senegal) inform partnership recommendations within the Roadmap.
4. Promote Brussels Identity via Missions and Events
Organise thematic trade missions, coordinate institutional presence in international fairs and festivals, develop “multicultural creative Brussels” storytelling. The Roadmap outlines mission frameworks informed by Creative District’s NUMIX LAB 2024 participation, which demonstrated tangible CCI support value and informed future mission design integrating cooperation dimensions.
5. Ensure Ecological Transition of International Practices
Integrate sustainability into international strategies: favour regional cooperation over long-haul travel, digitalise events where appropriate, apply ESG criteria in partner and project selection. Creative District’s Green Deal and circular economy CCI expertise (demonstrated through Innovation 4 Society) shapes sustainability recommendations within the Roadmap.
May 2024
Approval of Creative Economy Deployment Plan by hub.brussels management and transmission to government.
June 2024
Launch of Internationalisation WG. Creative District pilots the Internationalisation WG with hub.brussels.
Approach and Methodology
Creative District Co-Leadership Model
Creative District co-leads the Internationalisation WG with hub.brussels, following a structured approach across four dimensions. The co-leadership model balances hub.brussels’ institutional coordination capacity with Creative District’s field legitimacy and policy authoring expertise.
1. Research and Benchmarking (Sept 2023 – Feb 2024)
Key deliverable: Study “Cultural and creative industries: sector overview in Belgium and abroad” (February 2024)
Comparative analysis of CCI ecosystems examining financial schemes, support structures, and internationalisation best practices across Europe, North America, and selected emerging countries. The study, led by hub.brussels with Creative District contribution, combined literature review, interviews with international experts, quantitative data analysis, and identification of transferable best practices for Brussels. Creative District contributed international network insights and EU-Africa cooperation perspectives.
2. Policy Authoring and Strategic Recommendations (2024)
Key deliverable: Strategic Roadmap “Encouraging international expansion and CCI visibility” (authored by Creative District)
Creative District authored the strategic Roadmap transmitted by hub.brussels to government (May 2024). This policy document translates field insights and benchmark findings into actionable recommendations, containing:
- Comprehensive diagnosis of Brussels CCI internationalisation needs grounded in field experience
- Detailed recommendations for financial measures, support mechanisms, and visibility enhancement
- Prioritised action plan with monitoring indicators and implementation pathways
- Integration of sustainability and ecological transition throughout internationalisation strategy
The Roadmap represents Creative District’s capacity to bridge grassroots knowledge (via Tag Brussels, Innovation 4 Society) with strategic policy influence, translating practitioner insights into government-ready recommendations.
3. WG Animation and Co-Facilitation (Ongoing)
Regular WG meetings gathering approximately 25 participants (CCI companies, support structures, institutions). Creative District shares animation responsibilities with hub.brussels: co-developing agendas and identifying priority themes; co-facilitating discussions and synthesising needs and opportunities; presenting research findings and policy recommendations; influencing hub.brussels strategic orientations and regional policy development.
4. International Trade Mission Participation
NUMIX LAB 2024 Mission (Germany): Creative District joined hub.brussels delegation to Munich, Leipzig, and Berlin (25-29 November 2024), focusing on digital creativity, immersive experience sustainability, and cooperation opportunities. This mission strengthened Creative District’s international network, deepened understanding of German cultural and technological ecosystems, and identified concrete opportunities for Brussels CCIs—insights that directly informed Roadmap mission framework recommendations.
Steering Committee – Strategic Governance
Creative District sits on the hub.brussels CCI platform Steering Committee, the decision-making body bringing together key actors of the Brussels creative ecosystem:
- hub.brussels – Institutional coordination and government transmission
- iles.be – Social entrepreneurship and solidarity economy support
- start-invest.be – Creative startup financing and investment
- La Lustrerie – Coworking space and CCI incubation
- Perspective.brussels – Urban planning and CCI localisation
- RAB BKO (Raad voor het Brusselse Kunstenoverleg) – Dutch-speaking cultural sector representation
- Creative District – Field expertise, policy authoring, international cooperation
The Steering Committee provides strategic orientation for the platform, validates Working Group priorities, coordinates key stakeholders, and escalates policy decisions to appropriate governmental bodies. Creative District’s presence in this strategic governance ensures that field perspectives (via Tag Brussels, Innovation 4 Society) and international expertise (EU-Africa) are integrated into the platform’s structural decision
IMPACT
Qualitative Impact: Creative District Added Value
1. Field-Grounded Policy Authoring
Creative District’s authorship of the strategic Roadmap demonstrates unique capacity to translate grassroots knowledge into government-ready policy recommendations. Through Tag Brussels (800 creatives) and Innovation 4 Society (social housing), Creative District possesses authentic understanding of Brussels CCI realities, ensuring Roadmap recommendations address real practitioner needs rather than abstract institutional assumptions. This field legitimacy distinguishes Creative District’s policy work from purely consultancy-driven approaches.
2. International Network Leverage
Eight years of EU project delivery and active participation in European networks (Built4People, NEB) provide Creative District with concrete international connections informing Roadmap partnership and mission recommendations. Participation in NUMIX LAB 2024 (Germany) and ongoing Morocco and Senegal presence offer practical insights into international cooperation mechanisms, enabling evidence-based rather than theoretical policy proposals. These international touchpoints strengthen Brussels’ positioning as credible partner in global creative networks.
3. Proven Government Influence
Transmission of Creative District-authored Roadmap to Brussels government (May 2024) via hub.brussels validates Creative District’s policy influence capacity. This establishes recognition as credible strategic advisor by both hub.brussels management and regional government decision-makers, positioning Creative District for continued policy engagement on Brussels creative economy development.
Lessons Learned
What Experience Confirms
- Field legitimacy enables policy authoring credibility: Creative District’s capacity to author government-transmitted Roadmap stems directly from authentic CCI practitioner relationships via Tag Brussels and Innovation 4 Society. Policy recommendations grounded in practitioner realities carry greater weight with decision-makers than purely research-based proposals.
- International benchmarking informs local policy effectiveness: Comparative ecosystem analysis enables identification of transferable practices whilst avoiding replication of unsuccessful approaches. Benchmark contribution provides evidence base strengthening Roadmap recommendations.
- Co-leadership model balances institutional coordination with field expertise: Partnership between hub.brussels (institutional capacity) and Creative District (field knowledge + policy authoring) produces more comprehensive outcomes than either organisation could achieve independently.
Identified Challenges
- Policy authoring to implementation gap: Roadmap transmission to government represents critical milestone but doesn’t guarantee implementation. Requires continued advocacy, resource mobilisation, and implementation monitoring to ensure recommendations translate into operational programmes.
- Multi-WG co-leadership demands: Creative District’s engagement across three WGs (Benchmark, Internationalisation, Localisation) requires significant organisational capacity and team continuity, necessitating strategic resource allocation.
- Long-term impact measurement complexity: Policy influence impact manifests over years rather than months. Documenting Creative District’s contribution and tracking recommendation adoption requires sustained monitoring systems.
Sustainability and Perspectives – Next Steps
- Roadmap implementation support: Accompany hub.brussels and government in deploying recommended measures, providing implementation guidance grounded in field practitioner feedback.
- EU-Africa cooperation axis development: Structure specific Brussels-Africa creative cooperation offerings, capitalising on Creative District’s Morocco and Senegal operational presence to facilitate partnerships and market access.
- International mission participation continuation: Maintain engagement in future hub.brussels trade missions, integrating cooperation dimensions and feeding mission insights back into policy refinement.
- Methodological capitalisation: Document field-to-policy translation methodology for potential application in other territorial or sectoral contexts.
RESSOURCES
Benchmark | Cultural and creative industries: overview of the sector in Belgium and abroad | V. Fr.
Study 2020 | The economic impact of the cultural and creative industries in the Brussels-Capital Region | V. Fr
Update study 2023 | The economic impact of the cultural and creative sectors in the Brussels-Capital Region and the diversity of the workforce | V. Eng