Cultural Bees project is determined to propose an innovative educational offer on cultural creative industries to promote awareness and a new sustainable entrepreneurship on cultural heritage preservation and valorisation.
The initial workshop, focusing on the state of the art and needs, emphasized the necessity for boosting alternative forms of education on entrepreneurship to sustain and revitalize Europe’s cultural heritage. A key priority set has been the fostering of entrepreneurial creativity by showcasing best practices, facilitating visits to cultural entrepreneurship hubs, and leveraging digital technologies. A European-level networking has also been considered crucial to inspire collaboration and broaden perspectives. The integration of CCI and cultural heritage into school curricula ensures these fields become central to education, partly lightening the traditional theoretical frontal lecturing methods, with active involvement from stakeholders—researchers, entrepreneurs, artisans, and industry professionals—to maintain practical relevance. Structured hands-on learning opportunities, such as on-site workshops with experts and localized community engagements, may in fact bridge the gap between theory and practice. Moreover, including and adapting to technological advancements is essential, with a focus on teaching digital skills and providing mentorship to help learners navigate tools like AI, VR, and 3D modelling for cultural preservation and presentation.
The discussion also highlighted the urgency of preserving traditional craftsmanship through documentation and experiential learning, merging heritage skills with modern applications. University-based creative labs and innovation camps can inspire cultural entrepreneurship, while entrepreneurial support—through hubs, agencies, and student companies—helps young talents pitch ideas and secure investments. Expanding resources, such as multimedia projects and entrepreneurship guidelines, equips students with practical tools.
Furthermore, transforming traditional teaching methods into interactive, immersive experiences is necessary to engage students in cultural heritage. Site visits, panel discussions, and digital storytelling methods contextualize heritage, fostering innovative solutions. Preparing students for future challenges involves teaching digital transformation, AI applications, and art-based storytelling.
In summary, the workshop identified seven key domains for action: inspiration and networking, educational integration, hands-on experience, financial and structural support, technological adaptation, entrepreneurial development, and resource expansion. These strategies form a comprehensive framework to ensure CCIs thrive, transforming Europe’s cultural heritage into a dynamic, sustainable force for the future.
Based on these achievements and taking benefit of partners experience in youngsters education and cultural heritage preservation research and practice, a proposal for a new curriculum was made in the early weeks of 2025 and discussed for finalization in the partners meeting held in Brussels on 13 February, benefitting also of conversation held during the day before Pan European Ecosystem Forum.
The new educational offer includes 2 curricula that have different deepenings and intensity, to be aligned with the different needs. In particular the so-called pathway 1, meant for students of high schools and aged 15-18, delivers a general information about creative industries and cultural heritage and the opportunities in terms of entrepreneurship and employment. The contents of this pathway serves to raise awareness about cultural heritage, but also offer a general perspective about how to be involved and committed in cultural sustainable development. The so-called second pathway, pathway 2, is targeting young entrepreneurs aged 19-30, who need inspirations, but also concrete tools to establish their sustainable creative business on cultural heritage. In this respect, more complex knowledge and examples should be provided, as well as the time allocated longer and more intense. The Cultural Bees educational pathways aim to provide young learners with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to engage meaningfully with cultural heritage and the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), highlighting their potential as drivers of sustainable and innovative entrepreneurship. Designed for upper secondary education and adaptable through local stakeholder engagement, these two learning pathways blend theory with practice, creativity with responsibility, and tradition with innovation.
Pathway 1 (30–40 hours) introduces foundational concepts related to cultural heritage and CCIs. It fosters awareness of career opportunities in the sector and strengthens key competencies such as creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, and digital literacy. Learners will also explore sustainability in CCIs and the application of emerging technologies to cultural preservation.
Modules of Pathway 1
- Introduction to Cultural Heritage
- Introduction to Cultural and Creative Industries
- Careers in CCIs
- Creativity and Innovation in CCI Entrepreneurship
- Sustainability in CCIs
- Digital Technology and Cultural Heritage
Pathway 2 (36–40 hours) is more practice- and entrepreneurship-oriented, designed to empower students to design and lead sustainable cultural ventures. It covers the full spectrum of cultural entrepreneurship—from ideation to funding and management—while encouraging responsible approaches to tourism, innovation, and community engagement.
Modules of Pathway 2
- Cultural Entrepreneurship
- Sustainability in CCIs
- Technology-Driven Ventures
- Creative and Artistic Ventures
- Tourism and Hospitality in Cultural Heritage
- Marketing and Communication for Cultural Ventures
- Funding Opportunities in CCIs
- Leadership and Project Management
Through both pathways, learners are expected to develop a deeper connection to their local cultural contexts, an understanding of the socio-economic value of cultural heritage, and the ability to co-create forward-looking, sustainable cultural initiatives. Ultimately, these pathways contribute to nurturing a new generation of responsible cultural entrepreneurs, reinforcing resilience, innovation, and sustainability across Europe.
Discover more about Partners’ expertise
To achieve such result, it counts on the outstanding expertise of its partners and their fields of specialisation, such as JA for youth entrepreneurship, University of Nova Gorica for its course on Cultural Heritage Studies, Isola Catania for its promotion of cultural activities, Matera Hub as innovative space for cultural entrepreneurship, as well as the university of Varna for its experience on economics, management and businesses models, but lastly depends also on the experience of Danmar to make the educational pathways easily usable and adoptable by schools and learners.
