Creative Atmosphere: a sustainable development model for Piedmont based on culture and creativity, 2012

Is it possible that the economic and social wellness of a territory is based on creativity and culture?

It is what comes from the report “Creative Atmosphere”, a project by the Foundation CRT, edited by Research Centre Silvia Santagata and by the Political Science Department of the University of Turin.

It is always more clear, nowadays, that the economic value created by industries aims to the production of cultural goods and services and of their potential in the growing respect to other sectors of the economy: however to build real drivers of local development in the territories, the sectors of cultural production have to show a creative atmosphere.

Considering “Creative Atmosphere” a key point, this book focuses on the analysis of the local cultural systems in Piedmont, seen as network of social and economic relationships among the different private and institutional actors, able to understand the role of the different characters in the system and the kind of these relationships that an innovative and creative atmosphere can create.

With a new approach “Creative Atmosphere” draws a map of the excellence and criticalities of the cultural industries of Piedmont, giving something to think on and proposing actions in support of those sectors analyzed.

Every micro world, every district, when “breathes” creative atmosphere – resulting from a circulation of ideas on products, artistic expressions, needs for consumers, technological innovations, business models, industrial design and quality – is able to start a process of creative growth.

The development model that arises from the report bases on the creativity spread: the metropolitan area of Turin, that is very focused on the cultural activities, is a network of districts and territories that develops its own creative request, in a complementary way with respect to the city experience.

All these realities are examples of “creative atmosphere”: in which the forces of local development deploy mutual, positive and shared benefits, capable of generating opportunities, producing innovation and fostering the expression of creativity.