How the tourism sector and the creative economy can work together and benefit from each other is the subject of a large-scale study by the OECD, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. With this workshop for invited guests, the OECD is segueing from theory to practice, as it were, and has chosen Linz during the Ars Electronica Festival as the place to do so. After all, this city has long been the setting of intensive collaboration between the cultural scene and the tourism industry, and not just since 2009 when Linz served as European Capital of Culture. Nor is it a coincidence that the Ars Electronica Center was selected as the venue.

Linz: Best Practice Example

On one hand, the Ars Electronica Festival and Center contribute mightily to Linz’s attractiveness as a destination for tourists from all over the world. On the other hand, the Ars Electronica Futurelab is a world-class creative economy success story, a think tank that has conceived and implemented countless projects including many of interest from a touristic perspective.

And that’s exactly what the workshop set for Friday in the Ars Electronica Center’s Sky Loft is all about. Following a presentation of the results of the OECD study on tourism and the creative economy, attendees will focus on outstanding examples of collaboration among entities in these two sectors.

Workshops and Festival Visit

The afternoon session will go into how creative experiences can become travel destinations and how to implement a well-functioning, cooperative working relationship between tourism professionals and people in the creative economy. Tours of the Ars Electronica Center and visits to the Ars Electronica Festival and the Linzer Klangwolke will round out the conference program.

Due to limited seating capacity, participation is possible only by pre-registration.

Schedule

THU September 4, 2014
Tabakfabrik Linz, Klub Kantine
7 PM Reception hosted by City Council Member Susanne Wegscheider
followed by a visit to the opening of the Ars Electronica Festival

FRI September 5, 2014
Ars Electronica Center, Sky Loft

9:30 AM Opening
with Elisabeth Udolf-Strobl (Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy/ AT), Elisabeth Manhal (Province of Upper Austria / AT), Bernhard Baier (Deputy Mayor of the City of Linz / AT), Gerfried Stocker (Ars Electronica Center / AT), Sergio Arzeni (OECD)

10:15 AM OECD Study of Tourism and the Creative Economy
Presentation of the most important results by Jane Stacey (OECD / IE/FR)

10:30 AM – 12:30 Creativity as Game Changer in Tourism?
with Stuart Freeman (UK), Dieter Hardt-Stremayr (Creative Austria, Graz Tourism / AT), Lianne Duif (Jheronimus Bosch 500 Foundation / NL), Christian Potiron (Pilsen 2015 European Capital of Culture / CZ), Joelle Kapompole (Member of the Belgian French-speaking Parliament, Mons 2015 European Capital of Culture / BE), Martin Sturm (OK Center for Contemporary Art / AT), Uta Hielscher ( Kulturwald and Konzerthaus Blaibach / DE), Julia Fallon (Europeana Foundation / UK)

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Dive In
in Deep Space at the Ars Electronica Center with Christoph Kremer (Ars Electronica Center / AT)

2:30 PM – 4 PM Workshop 1 Creative experience as touristic destination
with Christopher Lindinger (Ars Electronica Futurelab / AT), Markus Beyr (Entrepreneur / AT), Michael Badics (Ars Electronica Solutions / AT), Erich Pröll (Nature filmmaker / AT)

Workshop 2: Creating the environment for cooperation
with Patrick Bartos (Creative Region Linz / AT), Greg Richards (OECD / UK/FR), Stefan Heinisch (Tourism Board Bad Kleinkirchheim / AT), Georg Steiner (Tourism Director, Tourism Office Linz / AT), Lianne Duif (Programme director, Jheronimus Bosch 500 Foundation Netherlands / NL), Martha Friel (Milan IULM University / IT)

4 PM – 4:30 PM Plenum and Wrap-up
with Alain Dupeyras (OECD / FR), Elisabeth Udolf-Strobl (Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy/ AT), Georg Steiner (Linz Tourism Association / AT)

6:30 PM Prix Ars Electronica Gala

SAT September 6, 2014
Opportunity to attend events, performances and exhibitions at the Ars Electronica Festival 8:30 PM Linzer Klangwolke