Northwest Bohemia is not only a region of coal and chemistry. It is necessary to involve a wider range of disciplines in its transformation, and above all committed and creative local residents, agreed at the meeting on Wednesday the deputy governor of Ústí Jiří Řehák, the newly elected rector of the University of JE Purkyně (UJEP) Jaroslav Koutský, the deans of the two faculties Michaela Hrubá and Zdena Kolečková or representatives of the Kreativní.uk network.
"Our region is going through a drastic change. The coal industry needs to be replaced by new industries, preferably those with high added value. And this is what an economy based on human creativity offers, from handicrafts to art, cultural heritage, architecture to the film and game industries. Examples from similar European regions show that supporting themes related to local patriotism and local creative talents brings economic benefits and leads to a natural increase in the attractiveness of places. I am very pleased that the management of the University of Ústí and its faculties is fully aware of the potential of the creative industries and intends to develop it." explained Deputy Governor Jiří Řehák, whose responsibility is culture and tourism.
His words were also confirmed by Jaroslav Koutský, who will assume the position of rector of UJEP in mid-March. "In recent years, even politicians have often heard that it is necessary to invest in people, not just in concrete. Thanks to European subsidies, the university will be fully involved in the so-called fair transformation of the region, and part of our plans includes, among other things, the support of the cultural and creative industries. It's great that we have a partner in this in the regional leadership and in the Kreativní.uk network," said the rector-elect at the Wednesday meeting in the fall.
The University of Ústí has long been involved in projects that help the development of the region, mapping its potential and commemorating local history.
"Our university is involved in large transformational projects focused, for example, on hydrogen mobility. But it is no less strong in the fields of humanities and social sciences, and I consider this to be key in the effort to transform our region into a good place to live. For a long time, we have been engaged in mapping the cultural and historical heritage of our region and the rich legacy of its craft and industrial production, in which the creative fields also resonated strongly. Just mention the glass industry, the production of porcelain and toys or the textile industry. When looking for attractive and perspective topics connected with tradition, there is something to draw from, and we are ready to provide maximum cooperation." introduced Michaela Hrubá, dean of the Faculty of Arts, UJEP, and emphasized the need to support educational activities focused not only on regional education, but especially in the area of lifelong education.
"Our main task is, of course, to educate students in the fields of fine arts and design, but at the same time to present their work in a professional context. However, we welcome when they get the opportunity to intervene in public space and influence events in the region. The rapidly changing Ústí Region offers endless inspiration in this regard, and it is great that the demand for creativity has been growing here recently." said Zdena Kolečková, dean of the Faculty of Art and Design at the UJEP since February.
The Ústí Region, JE Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, the government agency CzechInvest, the Innovation Center of the Ústí Region and the Ústí Association Verejný sál Hraničář already signed a joint memorandum in 2022 last summer confirming cooperation in the development of the cultural and creative economy and in supporting local talents. They coordinate the joint support of the creative industries, which according to many studies are among those with the fastest growing share of the GDP gross domestic product, through the Kreativni.uk network. Thanks to these activities, by the end of 2022, over two thousand entrepreneurs and legal entities operating in the cultural and creative sectors were mapped in the Ústí Region.
TC: Creative.uk, March 10, 2023
