On 8 September, ERRIN co-organised the session 'Shaping Creative Ecosystems: How Do Regions Turn EU Skills Agendas into Action?' as part of Creative Skills Week, in collaboration with the Creative Pact for Skills, Materahub and ELIA.

The interactive session explored how local and regional ecosystems can translate European skills agendas into concrete partnerships, funding approaches and implementation models through the Regional Skills Partnerships (RSPs), with particular focus on Cultural and Creative Sectors and cross-sector collaboration.

Connecting European skills policies with regional action

The session opened with Daniela Santopolo, Policy Officer at the European Commission’s DG GROW, in charge of the Large-scale Skills Partnership for CCI, who provided an overview of the European Commission’s work on the Union of Skills and the Pact for Skills - including its development, current architecture and what lies ahead for this initiative.

She presented the overview of upcoming investments in the new Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) on the topic of skills and highlighted the importance of National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs) for supporting regional ecosystems in addressing upskilling and reskilling needs in the creative sectors. Regional partnerships can help bring together the different actors needed to identify skills needs and develop responses adapted to local contexts.

Astrid Hannes, Head of Project at ERRIN, leading ERRIN’s work on Skills and Education, then provided a regional perspective on the ongoing discussions around the MFF and the future of EU programmes. She highlighted the potential implications of National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPPs) for Regional Skills Partnerships and shared practical considerations for regions seeking to combine EU, national and regional funding streams to support skills development.

Regional approaches to creative skills ecosystems

The session then showcased a range of regional and cross-regional experiences, illustrating how different territories are developing partnerships and approaches to creative skills.

• Becky Riches from Creative South presented a cross-regional collaboration model from the South of Italy
• Jenny Tingvall Kornmacher from Region Skåne shared experience of integrating skills and creative-sector approaches with regional innovation strategies and smart specialisation
• Anna Spechtenhauser, from the Stuttgart Region and leader of the New European Bauhaus & Creativity Working Group, presented approaches to addressing transformation in the automotive and mobility ecosystem through collaboration
• Mareile Zuber from the Amsterdam Regional Skills Partnership explored urban creative ecosystems, micro-credentials and skills intelligence

The session concluded with additional examples from across Europe, presented by:

• Simona Martini, Fondazione Fitzcarraldo – F.i.Re Piemonte
• Francesca Imparato, ARTER – Emilia-Romagna
• Camila de Epalza Azqueta, KSIGUNE – Basque Country
• Ruba Saleh, ICHEC – Brussels-Capital Region
• Sarah Daly, Creative Spark – Ireland

From skills agendas to implementation

The session provided an opportunity for regions to exchange experiences and explore how Regional Skills Partnerships and cross-sector collaboration can turn European skills priorities into concrete action on the ground.

Creative Skills Week 2026 is co-organised by EIT Culture and Creativity, CYANOTYPES and Creative Futures Academy, in collaboration with the Creative Pact for Skills, CREDEX and the GreenCCIrcle project.

The event is kindly co-hosted by ICHEC Brussels Management School and LUCA School of Arts and is curated by ELIA. It is also recognised as an Associated Event of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026.