Two ERRIN events focused on Culture and Creative Industries (CCI) took place this week: the CCI Project Development Session on 20 May and the 14th edition of the EU Design Day on the following day. Both events brought together a dynamic mix of ERRIN Working Groups' leaders and members eager to explore new project opportunities and learn from innovative local examples of sustainable design. 

Since the first meeting of 2025 in the ERRIN Culture and Creativity Cluster, the focus has been on unlocking Horizon Europe project opportunities for members. With the official launch of the Cluster 2, Cluster 6 and New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility calls under the Horizon Europe programme, ERRIN hosted an interactive project development session featuring nine parallel breakout groups, each dedicated to a specific call. 

The session covered a wide range of themes from the design of common spaces for communities, through green transition and sustainable housing, to the built environment in neighbourhoods and reclaimed construction products. The breakout groups have gathered various regional and local actors, many of whom have travelled to participate in these exchanges and identify synergies within their expertise in research, stakeholder engagement, as well as business models and implementation of the solutions.  

To keep the momentum going, matchmaking will continue through the ERRIN Project Development Tool. Here, members, and their local stakeholders, can submit expressions of interest, outline their expertise and partner needs and connect directly with others working on the same calls. The platform also welcomes external organisations, offering a space to post partner searches and explore current project opportunities. Access the Project Development Tool here. 

Capitalising on the presence of these local actors, the EU Design Day was held on 21 May. As one of the flagship events in ERRIN’s calendar, it has been taking place in Brussels for 14 years, continually evolving to address pressing social and environmental challenges. 

This year’s edition featured 10 inspiring speakers – designers, architects, entrepreneurs, and researchers – who shared forward-thinking projects and ideas for building a more sustainable and inclusive future. Their contributions underscored the growing role of design, creativity and technology in shaping not just common spaces, but also resilient communities and systems for the future. Ottla Arigoni, a designer from the EU Policy Lab at the Joint Research Center, joined the event to react to the interventions and give an overview of the current work on strengthening connections between design and regional authorities to improve policy processes.  

To celebrate these contributions, a booklet was produced highlighting the showcased projects and initiatives. It brings together these creative stories and ideas, offering a glimpse into the inspiring work happening across Europe. All information about this year's edition can be found here.