Creative spaces in Georgia: UNESCO International Conference with the participation of Prof. Dr. Lydia Varbanova

Prof. Dr. Lidia Varbanova, Program Director of MA in Management of Performing Arts and Industries at NATFA was invited as a keynote speaker at the conference “Creative Spaces in Georgia: Catching the Momentum”, held on the 21 June 2022 in Tbilisi.

The conference shared and advocated the main findings of the three years project “Designing Creative Cluster Ecosystem in Georgia”, supported by EU/UNESCO where Prof. Varbanova was an international UNESCO consultant.

The results of the project were numerous – a comprehensive research of the best practices of initiating, developing and maintaining creative clusters, diverse activities with stakeholders from the public, private and civil sectors, strategic document for stimulation mechanisms in support of culture and creative industries.

As a result, a Memorandum and Action Plan were adopted by the stakeholders, with the aim to encourage cross-sectoral and inter-ministerial partnership and to advocate for better conditions for philanthropic legislation for arts and culture in the country.

Prof. Varbanova and the UNESCO delegation held meetings with the Ministry of Culture and Sport, Tbilisi City Hall, Enterprise Georgia, representatives of World Bank and European Union in Georgia.