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Quartier de la création, Nantes’ Creative District, is a 30ha area located on the western point of the island of Nantes. It gathers a strong interdisciplinary cultural and creative ecosystem, embedded within a large-scale urban redevelopment project:
– A sustainable district based on 3 pillars: social diversity, mixed functions and uses, environmental excellence;
– An urban lab to test future uses and functions for urban space by, for and with the cultural and creative sectors;
– 30 ha dedicated to transdisciplinary approached and spillover in the cultural and creative sectors, students, researchers, artists, creative professionals and citizens.
Developed within a strong cultural public policy that embraced culture and creativity as a leverage for territorial development, the Creative District today counts more than 3000 direct jobs and 7500 students in these sectors.
Samoa, Creative Urban Developer, was created in 2003 by the Metropolitan Authority of Nantes. It holds two main mandates: the steering of the urban redevelopment project of the island of Nantes and the support to the development of the creative and cultural in the Pays de la Loire region. With this dual purpose, Samoa is able to foster a stimulating area for cultural and creative initiatives and support their development with a set of tools:
– Real-estate development, either permanent or temporary: a varied space offer for more than 200 CCI organizations each year on 14 locations;
– Business support for around 80 cultural or creative organizations each year;
– Open innovation and experimentation projects to stimulate collaboration between creative and traditional industries;
– Networking and events;
– International cooperation with other Creative Districts.
The Quartier de la création celebrates each year its singular approach to creativity with a festival: Chtiiing !
The main reason for joining GCDN is to help our international network grow. Our different international collaborations (European projects, experimental project with the Quartier des Spectacles in Montreal, experience and knowledge exchange with Recife in Brazil) have taught us the benefits on a local level of sharing best practices, experiences, and skills when dealing with common priorities or issues. We hope to gain more insight on the topics that are on the agenda for the GCDN and meet other organizations working in the same fields.