As we had explained in the two works that preceded this text, the Arte Plaza Creative Industries Project constitutes a contribution to the socioeconomic management in the Historic Center of Camagüey city, from the approach of the so-called orange economy. It is executed by the Office of the Historian of Camagüey city (OHCC) and the non-governmental organizations Care Francia and Oikos; under the financing of the European Union and the Portuguese Institute Camoes. But, what are the main results proposed by the project?
- OHCC decision-makers and specialists incorporate the creative industries model into their wealth management instruments.
- Resident population, cultural and economic agents, public and private, integrated into cultural and creative projects in public spaces of the historic center.
- Decision makers and specialists linked to the management of the country’s heritage value the experience of Camagüey as a viable alternative for the articulation of heritage conservation and local socioeconomic development.
The first stage was aimed at conceiving creative industry projects taking the selected public spaces as the axis of action. For this, the OHCC took as a reference the knowledge acquired by OIKOS, transferring experiences on the actions of the first Cuban Art Factory in Havana. Interaction with cultural agents was facilitated from practice to stimulate the cultural revitalization of squares and streets, to motivate local initiative. Exchanges between the OHCC and cultural agents were supported on the subject of creative industries and their processes.
In the second, work was done on the identification, design, legalization and implementation of small cultural initiatives articulated to the projects of creative industries conceived. After reconciling each project with the interests of the partial and management plan, those initiatives that were best structured and articulated to local socioeconomic development and conservation and management of cultural heritage were selected. A cultural agent directly linked to the OHCC was also promoted, for its articulation with the creative industry of each public space.
For the creation and development of creative industries, 5 main squares have been selected (Agramonte Park, Workers’ Square, Martí Park, El Carmen Square and San Juan de Dios Square), 2 secondary squares (Soledad and Maceo), 4 squares (San Gabriel and Cinco Esquina, Bedoya, Juana del Castillo and Plaza del Gallo) and connecting axes (streets).
As a direct result of the project, we are working on the consolidation of the Creative Cultural Circuit of Camagüey city, which we will be commenting on in future works.
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
