A new political agreement strengthens cultural cooperation in Northern Europe

New opportunities for investment, funding and growth opened up for Northern European creative industries and cultural institutions when 11 states of the region signed an agreement on "Cultural Partnership of the Northern Dimension" in St Petersburg.

"It is important to underline that this agreement has first and foremost improved frameworks for co-operation, and created new conditions for growth in cultural life and the creative economies in northern Europe," emphasised Michael Webb, deputy head of European Union representation in Russia. "It is now up to the stakeholders involved to define the concrete projects and initiatives. The agreement is a political decision to facilitate the new co-operation."

The representatives of the 11 states signed the agreement at the international cultural forum organised by the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM), in St Petersburg on 20 - 21 May. The forum unites the representatives of culture, creative industry, cultural establishments and cultural offices to discuss the development opportunities of creative industries in the Northern dimension.