Regione Lazio proposes €2.5M annual fund for creative industries

Regional councillor Gian Paolo Manzella (PD) filed a bill on February 27, 2017, to support micro, small, and medium enterprises in cultural and artistic sectors in Lazio. The proposal includes a Creativity Fund of €2.5 million per year (up from the current €1.5 million, which only targets startups), grants, credit access measures, alternative financing, professional training, management assistance, and crowdfunding promotion. A Creativity Council composed of experts appointed by the Regional President would bridge administration, business, and cultural professionals. The initiative responds to data from the Symbola report: in 2014, Italy's culture-creativity system generated €89.7 billion (6.1% of national wealth) and employed 1.5 million people; Lazio alone contributed €14.7 billion in added value and 202,000 jobs. 70 European regions prioritize creative industries in their Smart Specialisation Strategies, and over 40 European cities are in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The bill now awaits council approval.