Creative Estonia

Creative Estonia is an initiative aimed at promoting and delevoping creative industry sector in Estonia.

What Creative Estonia aims at

Creative Estonia was established in 2009 by Enterprise Estonia, funded by the European Social Fund in order to increase awareness about the potential of creative industries in Estonian economy.

The larger aim is to presenting the content, unique characteristics, economic, social and regional value of creative industries and creating a platform for the discussion of creative industry problems and solutions at the highest level.

It is equally important to support beginning and established creative businesses with much needed information and advice, increasing the business and export ability of creative businesses.

One of the problems most of the the countries encounter is the lack of cooperation between between creative individuals and the industrial and service sectors. Therefore it is needed to encourage and increase cooperation to make use of the abilities, talents and creativity of creative people with the aim of developing and becoming more competitive.

Lately Creative Estonia has contributed to forming cooperation networks, and the exchange of expertise and information nationally and internationally - to present the model of Estonian creative industries to Europe and bring the best European practises to Estonia.

Our tools

The Creative Estonia portal www.looveesti.ee gathers a lot of information and support material about creative industries in Estonia. It functions as a news portal for the sector in cooperation with partner organisations, offering up-to date information about events, studies, support measures and also featuring interviews and articles with outstanding people in the sector. One of the most visited pages focus on starting and developing a creative business.

As the role of starting and existing creative businesses is vital, Creative Estonia launced a virtual product development incubator PESA in 2011. Today 20 companies with great export potential from different parts of Estonia are taking part of the 1-year support program. Businesses and cultural organisations are also invited to free regional marketing seminars happening once a year in 5 different towns in Estonia.

In order to make our young designers visible, we run the portolio environment POOD with the ability to purchase the desired product vie e-shop module.

To keep students informed about open opportunities Creative Estonia holds every now and then lectures and trainings in universities, including a theatre play on starting a creative business. TeamUp! product development day together with Tallinn Technical University initiative Startup Garage is taking place twice a year, connecting designers, engineers and mamagers in order to create new products in one day.

In 2011 Creative Estonia has issued "Creative Industries in Estonia"- a publication which presents the state of the industry in Estonia and the best examples to show that Estonia is a country committed to innovation and contributing added value. The publication presents the support structure that has been established for creative industries and the support measures put in place by the State, as well as highlight successful creative industry businesses and projects.

To encourage contact between businesses and creative people, Creative Estonia organises various events and seminars, open-coffee style meetings and short lectures where creative businesses and potential investors are brought together. To promote the idea of creative industries, Creative Estonia participates in conferences to do with management, business and innovation as well as other areas, and seeks solutions to problems in the creative industries with input from key figures from local government level right up to the parliament.

Creative Estonia conducts its work with advice from a think tank that includes leaders from creative industries support structures and development centres from the various creative associations. All work is carried out by Creative Estonia along with representatives of the target groups and partners.