How culture can impact the regional economy and social development? How to strengthen cooperation in the cultural sector in the Baltic Sea area? The answers to these, and other, questions will be discussed at The Baltic Cultural Forum - organized by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage - the Baltic Cultural Forum, which will be held on 15-18.09.2015 in Gdansk.

The Forum is the main project of the Polish Presidency of the Council of Baltic Sea States, one of whose priorities is "Creativity". Among the scheduled events will include the Conference of Culture Ministers of the Baltic Sea States, a series of working group meetings all the major cultural organizations of the region and the conference " Culture as a tool for socio-economic development of the region ".

What, where, when?:

The ministers of culture of the Baltic Sea countries will meet on 09.16.2015. At the Centre for Maritime Culture and the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk. The meeting of ministers in this format will for the first time since 2008.

On 15-18.09 in the Maritime Culture Centre in Gdansk they are scheduled meetings of the Working Groups. According to the motto of the Polish Presidency in the Council of the Baltic Sea synergy between the various formats - the conference will be combined with the meetings of all key cultural organizations present in the region.

A very important part of the Forum will be a conference "Culture as a tool for socio-economic development of the region", which will be held on 16-17.09.2015 in the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk.

Objective: to understand the role of culture in regional development

The conference will be a major event within the 'creativity' of the Polish Presidency of the Council of Baltic Sea States. It will also be linked with the ongoing leadership of Polish Partnership Committee. Culture of the Northern Dimension and Culture Thematic area of ​​the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, which Poland współkoordynuje.

The aim of the conference is to present the influence of culture on the development of society and economy in the region. During two days of debates and workshops will be gathered data that will improve cooperation between sectors cultural, financial and administrative institutions, which lack the understanding of the role of culture in regional development. It will also be an opportunity to meet all the key cultural networks, institutions and organizations in the Baltic Sea region in order to strengthen cooperation in this area.

The conference program will include:

• The plenary session with the participation of ministers of culture of the Baltic Sea region;
• Workshop on cultural links with socio-economic areas, ie .:
• Culture and entrepreneurship;
• Culture and social innovation;
• Culture and education;
• Culture and sustainable development;
• Culture and creative cities;
• Presentations of regional projects in the cultural sector;
• The panel "Smart Cities" dedicated to creative cities in the region;
• Presentations by experts from the borderland culture, and socio-economic sectors;
• After the conference Baltic Sea Cultural Centre offers workshops Cultural Innovation Lab, which will take place from 17 to 18.09.

After hours:

On the first day of the Forum (15.09) both participants and residents of Gdansk, will be able to enjoy a special concert Grzech Piotrowski, along with a unique mapping, the interior of the church, which will be held at Centre St. John. On the same day in the spaces Centre St. John will also be the inauguration of the exhibition project "Baltic House", conducted by the Baltic Sea Cultural Centre, co-host of the concert.

On the second day (16.09) The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage invites conference participants to a networking dinner for one of the creative space Tri-City Design Centre in the Pomeranian Science and Technology Park.

Registration of participants:

The Forum is addressed to all interested in issues of cultural impact on the development of society and economy in the region, with particular emphasis on the cultural sector representatives from the Baltic Sea region.

Registration will last until 6 September 2015.