Tuesday last (12th March) the first Creative Europe InfoDay of 2024, organized by the Creative Europe Desk Italia – Culture Office, was held in the University Club Room of the University of Calabria.

On this occasion, the Creamare and Art4sea projects, both supported by Creative Europe, were presented as relevant examples of the Programme, as they succeeded in creating a transnational and transcultural cooperation framework to meet their main objectives of contributing to the protection of the oceans and Underwater Cultural Heritage.

The meeting began with a welcoming speech by Professor Maurizio Muzzupappa, Unical President’s Delegate for Technology Transfer, and a warm welcome from Silvia D’Elia, EACEA Project Officer at the European Commission, connected from Brussels.

It was a day full of interesting contributions. The testimonies of Alessandra Tuzza, director of Europe Direct Calabria Gioiosa Ionica, and Marialucia Malara of the Europe Direct Municipality of Reggio Calabria, were followed by the speeches of the Creative Europe Desk Italy managers who presented the various calls for proposals of the Creative Europe Programme.

Anna Conticello presented data and perspectives of the Culture Programme, Andrea Coluccia illustrated the MEDIA Programme, while Marzia Santone discussed European cooperation projects for inclusion and sustainability and the Creative Innovation LAB. Coluccia and Enrico Proietti then introduced the calls for journalism and residencies.

Finally, Professor Fabio Bruno (3D Research) presented Art4sea and Creamare, focusing on the motivations behind both and the objectives they aim to achieve. The premise for both is the creation of a transcultural and transnational collaborative context involving cultural institutions, scientific and research organizations, artists/creative professionals and technology experts. Creamare‘s main ambition is to enhance and promote Underwater Cultural Heritage and raise awareness of relevant social issues such as pollution and other environmental threats affecting the oceans. That of Art4sea is to involve as many people as possible, starting with the production of works of art on three Mediterranean islands, so that they can radically change their relationship with the ocean, becoming active promoters of environmental sustainability.

At the end of the day’s interesting speeches, all participants were invited to apply to the calls by weaving paths and maintaining a visionary attitude!