SIG Culture & Ageing - Background & Objectives

The Background of SIG “Ageing & Culture”

The economy of culture and demographic shift
Culture is an important economic factor: The European cultural and creative sector contributes directly (in terms of GDP, growth and employment) and indirectly (links between creativity and innovation, links with the ICT sector, regional development and attractiveness) towards the Lisbon Agenda. These are the results of a study on "The economy of culture in Europe" published by the European Commission.

(http://ec.europa.eu/culture/eac/sources_info/studies/economy_en.html)

A few figures:

Culture is an economic factor that contributes to investment and regional development: The sector turned over more than 654 billions Euros in 2003. It contributed to 2.6% of EU GDP in 2003.
The cultural and creative sector is an important branch of the economy that is growing at an above-average rate: The overall growth of the sector's value added was 19.7% in 1999-2003.
Cultural industries create many jobs: In 2004, at least 5.8 million people worked in the sector, equivalent to 3.1% of total employed population in Europe.

Through demographic shift the group of older users and customers of cultural products and services is actually changing and increasing. The level of interest that older people demonstrate in experiencing their regional environment in terms of its stimuli, flexibility, cultural diversity and communicative possibilities should therefore not be ignored by the cultural and creative sector. Besides, many senior citizens of both sexes currently enjoy significant spending power. To focus this target group more specifically will allow the economic potential of the sector to be developed further. Good-quality and innovative cultural products and services are particularly well suited to improve the quality of life of senior citizens.

SIG “Ageing & Culture” promotes the development and marketing of innovative products and services in the field of Silver Economy aimed at the new market segment of the growing older population. It aims to

sensitise creative industries and entrepreneurs for the needs and interests of older customers,
raise awareness among private and public cultural institutions for the potentials of Silver Economy,
promote the development of cultural products and marketing strategies that address younger and older people,
improve cultural marketing and audience development,
improve job opportunities for older artists and workers in the creative sector,
raise awareness for the importance of attractive cultural settings for regional development and for the marketing of tourism, media, fashion, health care, design,
address senior citizens as an important target group for the development of European cultural tourism

The Objectives of SIG “Ageing & Culture”

Ageing and culture is a transversal issue of special European relevance. The cultural memory and participation of the present generation of older Europeans is an important resource in the process of European integration and cohesion and a potential for the understanding between cultures and generations.

In 2006 the SIG “Ageing & Culture” established the European network “age-culture.net” with partners from the SEN@ER regions NRW, Extremadura, Lower Saxony and Scotland and from more regions in Austria, Belgium, England, France, Finland, Germany and Hungary. The lead-partner region is North Rhine-Westphalia. The SIG and its network are co-ordinated by KUBIA – Zentrum für Kultur und Bildung im Alter im IBK e.V. Remscheid, Germany (Centre for Arts Education and Culture in later Life).

The network links cultural operators, producers, creators and experts who are active in the field of arts education, culture and cultural economy in later life.

The objective is to create awareness of the cultural and economic opportunities of the ageing process in Europe. Orientation towards the interests and needs of older people allows the development of cultural projects, products and services which can improve the quality of later life. This generates opportunities for the understanding between generations and cultures and for exchange and cooperation in Europe.

The network aims to recognise, support and enrich the cultural lives and learning of older people in Europe through advocacy, information, education, training and strategic partnership.

It provides

Exchange of information and experts
Coordination and networking
Information and lobbying on regional, national and European level
Consultation on EU-structure and funding
Cooperation and development of multilateral projects
Expertise
Development of new modules of vocational training
Research and evaluation
Documentation and dissemination of results

The European internet platform: www.age-culture.net supports the close co-operation between the partners. A Content Management System allows the inputting of information from and by different partners.

All SEN@ER partners are invited to take part in the dialogue that aims at creating awareness of the cultural and economic opportunities of the ageing process at European level.

More information: www.age-culture.net