The creative industries aim to energize the cultural life of cities and promote socio-economic development from the local, through the enhancement of their heritage.

The implementation of the Arte Plaza project: culture to grow, co-financed by the European Union and the Portuguese Institute Camoes, with the participation of the international Care-Oikos consortium and coordinated by the Office of the Historian of Camagüey city; led to the celebration of the First National Workshop of Creative Industries, a space in which national and international experiences were shared.

Representatives from Panama, Cienfuegos and Havana spoke about the implementation of this type of project in their territories and the advantages it offers to the local economy. In addition, several representatives of organizations involved in these dynamics, such as Jordi Teserrás Juan, vice president of ICOMOS Spain and Yahima Esquivel, representative of Cuba to UNESCO, as well as specialists from the Network of Offices of the Historian and the Conservator of Cuban Heritage Cities.

The workshop was ideal to present the Arte Plaza project, with the presence of entrepreneurs interested in being part of it.

Arte Plaza will take place in 5 fundamental spaces, Trabajadores, El Carmen and San Juan de Dios squares and Martí and Ignacio Agramonte parks.

The project aims to achieve results in a period of 48 months, starting in 2019 and extending until 2023; it is expected that approximately 30 ventures will be started around it

Creative industries are a viable alternative for the development of cities; therefore, their implementation is of great importance for the local economy and heritage management.

Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García