Luova Lämpiö co-research project springs from artpreneurial thinking. Lämpiö uses creative agoras, a multi-case research structure, to generate the concepts and principles for a new model for establishing and sustaining mutually beneficial, ethical cross-sector collaboration. Lämpiö responds to a void in research knowledge in ethical and sustainable entrepreneurial collaboration with the creative sector and makes it broadly accessible, and finally, creates proposals for broad application and scalability. With the generated research knowledge, the research project aims to support a much broader transition into an active, sustainable, and fair partnerships and incentive model for the arts and creative industry's cross-sector collaboration and partnerships.
The research group includes members from the faculty of Aalto University's School of Arts, Design and Architecture, and School of Business. Additionally, the group collaborates with other universities and partners from the creative sector and companies and organizations from other sectors. Luova Lämpiö received two-year funding from Business Finland (NextGenerationEU) from January 2024 until December 2025.
Luova Lämpiö is a 5-partner model. The co-research project is divided into four distinct work packages, each led by different researchers. These work packages will employ a partnering model designed to unite different industries. This framework harnesses the strengths of academia, creative industries, business strategy, technology, and diverse sectors to create a collaborative ecosystem for generating innovative partnerships and sustainable contract solutions. Luova Lämpiö co-research carried out in work packages results in a 2-tier outcome system.
Internationally and nationally recognized challenges provide the context for the research project
There is a demand for arts and creative sector (ACS) to find and develop more meaningful, reflexive, and mutually beneficial ways to engage with other sectors. The Finnish ministry's special report published in 2020 notes the value of the arts and culture sector, but highlights its insufficient and non-sustaining financing and resourcing. Luova Lämpiö researchers have identified a disconnect between professional training/expert knowledge and preparedness for impactful strategy for innovation implementation and sustainable economic growth.
What is the economic and social significance of the identified problems/ challenges?
For the Finnish ACS to achieve its full economic potential and resiliency, there is a need to challenge the stereotypes prevailing between sectors. Also, to renew and reshape cross-sector partnerships and to revise and diversify the current unsustainable, partially passive funding models.
Artists' interventions or a scalable model?
Historically, artist groups (e.g. Artist Placement Group) have worked in-between different ecosystems and created interventions to intervene and change the economic landscape. While often seen as art projects, artists, creative professionals, and activists have generated broader changes.
Why Aalto University researchers are working on this project?
Aalto University's strategy and structures support interdisciplinary research and innovation across sectors. At the core of Aalto values is societal impact, and Luova Lämpiö thrives to generate methods and practices that have potential for broader cross-sector impact and scalability.
Example prior projects
The Future Artpreneurship development project (2021-2022) was a collaboration between the operative team from Aalto University, Aalto University Executive Education, Pentagon Design and Pentagon Insight with Finnish and international expert partners. The project was funded by NordPlus and Saastamoinen Foundation.
The outcomes of the Future Artpreneurship project showed a lack of shared cross-sector terminology, insufficient knowledge to articulate creative sector’s expertise or skill sets, differing aims and values across sectors as well as deficiencies in network connections and meaningful sustained dialogue that weaken creative sector and cross-sectoral ecosystems.
Read more about Future Artpreneurship from Aalto EE’s project website and about the key findings from Saastamoinen Foundation’s project page.
© Luova Lämpiö 2024
