Professor Andy Pratt had a busy three days in Florence recently (9-11 November 2012). First he gave a seminar in the Postgraduate programme in economics and management of cultural goods and museums at the University of Florence.
Andy talked about creative cities and policy making, and its problems. Andy was invited by Prof Luciana Lazzeretti who has just published a book ‘Creative Industries and Innovation in Europe’, which MA CCI students will find interesting.
On the following day, Andy took part in an international forum which was the culmination of a week long International Biennial of Cultural and Environmental Heritage organised by the Florens Foundation on behalf of the City of Florence. The event took place in the Palazzo Vecchio, in the stunning Salone dei Cinquecento. Andy spoke on local capacity building, the creative industries and the development agenda. Andy was joined by other luminaries in the field including David Throsby, Allen Scott and Charles Landry, Michael Hutter, and Xavier Greffe. There were also key participants from UNESCO, UNCTAD, WIPO and UNDP.
In addition, Andy was commissioned by the Florens Foundation, and Professor Santagata (who also curated the event), to produce an essay on ‘International Change and technological evolution in the Fashion Industry’ (with Paola Borrione, Mariangela Lavanga and Marianna D’Ovidio). A version of this essay was published in Italian and English.
On the final day Andy attended a meeting of the expert group preparing the 3rd edition of the Creative Economy report that is being co-ordinated by UNESCO.
