INSPIRE Creative Economy Summit: Turkish Inspiration on the Global Stage

Aiming to elevate Türkiye’s creative economy to global visibility, the INSPIRE Creative Economy Summit was held on May 29–30, 2025, at Beykoz Kundura in Istanbul. The summit brought together creative professionals working in culture, design, technology, and entrepreneurship, hosting inspiring panels, exhibitions, and collaborative sessions over two days.

Organized under the “INSPIRE – Capacity Building for the Proper Transformation of the Creative Economy in Türkiye” project, led by the General Directorate of Development Agencies of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and co-financed by the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye, the summit offered a multidimensional exploration of the potential, structural challenges, and transformation opportunities within the creative sectors.

The event commenced with opening speeches by the Minister of Industry and Technology, Mr. Mehmet Fatih Kacır, the Governor of Istanbul, Mr. Davut Gül, and the General Director of Development Agencies, Mr. Ahmet Şimşek. These addresses emphasized Türkiye’s potential in creative industries and its vision for transformation.

Cultural Values and Economic Transformation Shared the Stage

The first session of the summit focused on the role of cultural production in a globalized world and its interplay with the economic system. With contributions from experts in UNESCO and European cultural policy, the session explored the sustainability of creative ecosystems and the impact of technological advancements.

From International Cooperation to Global Vision

The second session of the first day brought together experts from the UK, Finland, and Türkiye to share insights on support mechanisms for creative entrepreneurship, financing models, and strategies for accessing global markets. This was followed by the “Strategy Launch” session, where preliminary findings of the national creative economy strategy document, developed under the INSPIRE Project, were shared with the public.

Creativity at the Intersection of Technology and Art

The second day opened with a panel discussion on the impact of artificial intelligence and digital technologies on the creative industries. Academics, designers, and artists shared their perspectives on sustainable creative processes, opportunities in the digital economy, and the evolution of human creativity.

Economic Success and Financing in the Creative Industries

Panels hosted by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) addressed the contribution of the creative economy to sustainable economic development. Representatives from the Creative Industries Council Association, the World Design Organization, the Turkish Game Developers Association, and entrepreneurs from various sectors provided valuable insights into innovative financing models that drive growth in the creative industries.

Creative Hubs from Türkiye on Stage

In the final sessions, representatives of creative economy projects from Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, and Kütahya shared insights on the roles of creative hubs, interface structures, and opportunities for sectoral cooperation. Projects such as ECITE from Ankara, FabriKHAS and IDEA4İstanbul from Istanbul, Create in Izmir, and the Digitalization and Creativity Ecosystem Development initiative from Kütahya demonstrated the local development impact of creative economies.

Two Days Full of Inspiration

The INSPIRE Creative Economy Summit shed light on the future of creative sectors and laid the groundwork for strong collaborations between public institutions, the private sector, and international actors. Enriched with exhibitions, demo areas, and networking events in addition to the panels, the summit once again made Türkiye’s creative potential visible through the contributions of its speakers, institutions, and participants.

Following the summit, the INSPIRE Project will continue its efforts to support the transformation of the creative economy with renewed momentum.

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