Creative industries and innovations hold immense potential for regional cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and creating a creative ecosystem, as well as enhancing the international positioning of the region and promoting joint economic and technological advancement. This was concluded at the first in a series of gatherings of creative centers, organisations, and initiatives, held in Belgrade, initiated by the national platform Serbia Creates and the Lozionica center.

On this occasion, the first Regional Creative Network was established, comprising creative centers, organizations, and initiatives from Slovenia (Rog Center), Croatia (Public Open University Varaždin – Center for Cultural and Creative Industries UPUV), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Shelter, Banja Luka), North Macedonia (UMPACI), Albania (Creative Industries Agency Municipality of Tirana), Montenegro (CIM Forum Kotor, Kotor ART Festival), and Serbia (Lozionica).

“Supporting the development of creative industries in Serbia over the past six years, during which the Serbia Creates platform has existed, we have realised that the biggest challenges for further sector development are the lack of physical space for our creatives and the creation of a homogeneous creative ecosystem and stronger penetration into the international market. That is why we started building the first creative industries center in Serbia, Lozionica, and launched an initiative for regional cooperation with similar initiatives and centers from the region in the field of creative industries. This collaboration platform, the Regional Creative Network, which we have jointly initiated, will undoubtedly contribute to the development of this sector in the region, facilitating the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and projects,” emphasised Ana Ilić, head of the Serbia Creates platform of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and director of Lozionica.

The first regional gathering of this kind also included representatives from UNESCO, international experts from Denmark (BLOXKUB, Copenhagen), and France (Centar 104 from Paris and BAAZAR from Lille).

Participants were presented with the project for the reconstruction and adaptation of the old Lozionica building into the first creative industries center in Serbia, and a tour of the construction site was organised where all participants and partners were introduced to the concept of this project.

The event was organised with the support of UNESCO – Antenna Office Sarajevo, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in the Republic of Serbia, and the French Institute in Serbia.