What is Creative FLIP P2P Exchange Program Twin Hubs 2022/2023?
Twin Hubs – A Creative Exchange Program is part of the TWIN HUBS. This is a blended mobility part of the Creative FLIP Peer2Peer Program. It is based on the “sister cities” model and addresses creative hubs that wish to establish new and long-lasting cooperation with another hub.
Thus, two hubs apply jointly or are matched to form a TWINNING. Starting in September 2022, both hubs commit to exchange and organize blended mobility over one year. The blended mobility combines online meetings, community exchange and a classic P2P exchange between hub members.
In 2022/23, Creative FLIP will support 25 twinnings involving 50 creative hubs throughout the EU and its neighbourhood.
Each twinning enables four hub representatives (2 of each Twin Hub) to exchange online and in person and to engage in a mutual learning experience. Jointly, both hubs will organize and implement a community event at the end of the program.
Find out more here.
How did it start?
In September, there was an open call where different European creative hubs could apply.
There were 68 applications from 29 countries across Europe and EU-neighbouring countries!
The Creative FLIP team has evaluated the applications carefully and did the relevant matching process considering the selected applicants’ specificities (location, field of interest, expectations, etc.). 25 twinings resulted from this process.
Among these applications, Anceu Coliving, together with other creative hubs, colivings and coworkings in the Creative Hubs Network, applied. These twin hubs are Dinamo 10 & Sörmland Coliving, Anceu Coliving & Chateau Coliving, and Espacio Arroelo & Zeljou Gallery. And we all got accepted!
The kick-off of the program was the Twinning Ceremony that took place in the context of the Creative FLIP & BAUTOPIA conference, as a closed event on 10 October in Porto.
The ceremony’s goal was to bring together all the participants to understand how the others work and function and start the bonding process. This happened successfully through joint presentations in which each hub manager presented themselves, their creative communities, and the project they will be working on together during their twinning.
First Twin: Dinamo 10 & Sörmland Coliving – Decentralization
Decentralization Twin
- Dinamo 10 is a creative hub in Viana do Castelo (north of Portugal)
- Sörmland is an upcoming coliving space in the South of Sweden (1 hr from Sthlm)
The proposal
The Context – There are no strong connections between cities and rural areas. We will focus on bringing awareness to how decentralization can create sustainable bonds between rural and urban areas.
Our Objective – We will focus on how to build bridges between rural hubs and small urban areas to promote innovation. Also, through this collaboration, we encourage the ECHN to new European rural hubs.
Our Action Plan – 1. Share practical competencies around the creation, development and organization of cooperative projects. 2. Open dialogues on entrepreneurship and open innovation based on local development. 3. Work on strategies to build partnerships with local and regional entities, businesses, and social movements.
Second Twin: Espacio Arroelo & Zeljou Gallery – New Bauhaus
New Bauhaus Twin
- Zeljou Gallery is a cultural centre in Larache (North of Morocco)
- Espacio Arroelo is a creative coworking space in Pontevedra (North of Spain)
The proposal
The Context – The social crisis resulting from covid put us in a complex scenario as it was in the emergence of the Bauhaus movement. Bauhaus Twin aims to catalyze resilience, build through social contact, and generate opportunities by learning about empathy, inclusion, and emotional intelligence through arts and creativity.
Our Objective – Rethinking the value of using arts as a transformative tool to work on diversity and integration. Exchanging knowledge beyond Europe to strengthen the ECHN impact.
Our Action Plan – 1. Sharing best art and culture practices to create social changes through creative hubs. 2. Rethink how to prototype a model of artistic residence programs for our hubs. 3. Promote networking between our members through workshops on arts, creativity, digital literacy and entrepreneurship.
Third Twin: Anceu Coliving & Chateau Coliving – Rural Coliving
Rural Coliving Twin
- Anceu coliving is a rural coliving focused on social impact in Ponte Caldelas (North of Spain)
- Chateau Coliving is a coliving in a 12th-century castle located in Normandy (North of France)
The proposal
The Context – Rural areas are becoming severely depopulated. This fact jeopardizes a way of living, endangers a whole tradition, and disconnects us from our roots. Also, after the pandemic, we need to switch to ways of living which promote more connection between people and harmonious lives in nature.
Our Objective – We will focus on the powerful tool that rural coliving spaces are as experimental labs for re-imagining how to live better together and promote innovation in rural areas.
Our Action Plan – 1. Open dialogues about new ways of living centred on communities in connection with nature. 2. Create bridges between the rural and urban worlds, promoting innovation in rural areas.3. Contribute to ECHN by including new network members from the coliving world.
We will keep you posted on how the Twin Hub events will evolve!