On Friday 23 February, a whole bunch of actors and organisations came together to promote businesses in the cultural and creative industries and to contribute to more sustainable cities and communities. The purpose of the meeting was to deepen the understanding of each other's activities and also explore new opportunities for innovation in designed living environments in Norrland. 

Present in Skellefteå were eXpression Umeå, RISE, Arctic Design Centre, Coompanion Västerbotten, Skellefteå Science City, GoBusiness, and Skellefteå Municipality. With a focus on architecture, design and layout, the conference discussed how to build communities that are not only physically sustainable but also socially sustainable. Participants, including Fanny Lindén, Frida Wimelius and Barbro Renkel from eXpression, shared their insights and visions on how cultural and creative industries can play a central role in developing attractive and livable places in northern Sweden. 

"It was an inspiring and rewarding day where we raised the issue of how we create a safe, inclusive, sustainable and attractive society where cultural and creative industries are of course a given part. This meeting was the starting point for a continued good cooperation, which hopefully provides synergies in Norrland, says Frida Wimelius. 

This meeting marks an important milestone in the work to strengthen the cultural creative industries in Norrland. By highlighting the importance of creative industries for regional development, the event emphasises the importance of collaboration and innovation in shaping the sustainable societies of the future. With support from innovation support schemes and a strong will to promote cultural diversity and creativity, Norrland is well on its way to becoming an even more attractive and sustainable region to live and work in.