The Erasmus+ programme (Youth) supports the Strategic Partnership "Creative Spaces". Our society in Europe is changing dramaticaly. We meet with big challenges on different levels: environmental change, shift of economic power, financial crisis, new technologies that change society very rapidly, reduced democratic participation, increased fear of immigration and so on. Young people are severely touched/seized by this. In many countries (especially the Southern European, Eastern European and Balkan countries), youth unemployment is rampant. Huge percentages of young people are unemployed, they have very few opportunities, there is a lack of perspective, … Some have the feeling they get kicked out of society and become outraged and indignant (cfr the Indignados). In other countries with a better economical context (Western European, Nordic countries, …), still many young people don’t have the opportunity to participate in society. They are in need, at risk, because of poverty, because of their ethnical roots, etc. They don’t have full access to the society, and neither to culture and the arts. When we look at the fields of youth, culture and the arts, we see that many are searching for the appropriate responses tho these challenges. And one of the most exciting responses are these "creative spaces" that are arising: in many countries throughout Europe young people take responsabilty themselves or find help in these so-called “Creative Spaces” to be able to develop their talents, their creativity, their personality. These “creative spaces” are tackling a range of issues at the same time: - new forms of cultural activity are stimulated which increase work opportunities for young talents and which develop talent and intercultural skills. - these spaces invest into talented, small-scale creative businesses such as cultural breeding grounds, incubators and community lab. WITH THIS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP "CREATIVE SPACES" WE WANT TO LEARN HOW THESE SPACES FOR EXPERIMENT AND CREATIVITY CAN EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGHOUT EUROPE AND HOW THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO BUILD A MORE SUSTAINABLE, ENTREPRENEURIAL AND DEMOCRATIC EUROPE. During the 2 years of the Strategic Partnership we want to get a view on these creative spaces throughout Europe. In many different ways - both online ass via real live meetings and discussions - we will look for answers to questions like these: - What is the creative space that young people need to be able to develop their talents and creativity? - What kind of physical space and infrastructure offers, enables the ideal incubator for young peoples talents? - What is the mental space that young people are in need of? - What is the link between young creative talent and entrepreneurship? - How can these spaces contribute to empowerment? - Are these Creative Spaces incubators for more sustainable societies? - Is there a link between activism, such as the fight for democracy and these spaces? - Are these spaces also a haven for young people at risk, for the have nots, for the poor, the youngsters with another etnical background? Or are they only for those who have already the opportunities? - What about the link between these creative spaces and the endless possibilities of the web? - What is the position of these often self-organised, bottom up, independent initiatives in relationship to the bigger youth, cultural and art institutions? Do they compete each other, or do they want and try to cooperate? - How “glocal” are these spaces? How do this kind of often local spaces tackle the bigger issues in society, from local to global? Do they really influence society, as a public issue, and if so, how? - How can or should policy – from local to European – take into account these new initiatives? Should they make a policy about thes creative spaces or - on the contrary - avoid trying to include these spaces in their policies? During the partnership all these questions will be tackled in many different ways. OUR OBJECTIVE AT THE END OF THE PARTNERSHIP IS TO OBTAIN INSIGHT IN WHAT THESE CREATIVE SPACES ARE ALL ABOUT AND WHAT THEIR ROLE AND IMPORTANCE CAN BE FOR YOUNG PEOPLES EMPOWERMENT AND FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. The project is initiated and coordinated by Vitamine C (Belgium/Flanders), together with 8 partners from all over Europe. "Creative Spaces" will take place over a period of two years: from the first of January 2015 untill the 31st of December 2016.