Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

The project is implemented by the OECD and the European Commission as part of the European Framework for Action on Cultural Heritage. It aims to provide evidence and guidance to European cities and regions on ways to maximize the economic and social value of cultural heritage and support the emergence of the creative economy. It focuses on knowledge building, peer learning and training in four areas. It acknowledges the fact that culture is playing an increasingly important role on the political agendas of cities and regions, both on its own and as a strategy for economic growth and the well-being of residents. According to this initiatve, there is growing evidence that increased levels of cultural participation have positive effects on well-being and health as well as encourage social cohesion by supporting the integration and inclusion of marginalised groups. The role of culture in spurring innovation as well as supporting well-being, health, life-long learning and the creation of social capital have become prominent. To increase the impact of culture on local development, cities and regions need to mobilise a wide spectrum of policies ranging from culture and tourism to employment, skills, health, business development, innovation and spatial planning. OECD’s partners in this project are: the European Commission (DG EAC), the European Creative Business Network , the World Cities Culture Forum and the International Council of Museums.