Viana Abordo

Basic information

Project Title

Viana Abordo

Full project title

Viana Abordo - Cidadania em Movimento (Viana Onboard - citizenship in movement)

Project Description

Viana Abordo presents itself to its community as a safe haven for debate of local challenges, from an entrepreneurial and open innovation perspective. A moment of mutual learning and sharing where every participant has a relevant role and everyone has an active and decisive part in identifying current challenges and in co-creating possible solutions opportunities that can stem from them. All sessions are different and prepared specifically and the results are shared with local policymakers.

Geographical Scope

Local

Project Region

Viana do Castelo , Portugal

Urban or rural issues

It addresses urban-rural linkages

Physical or other transformations

It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

EU Programme or fund

Description of the project

Summary

Viana Abordo is an open innovation program addressed both to policymakers and entrepreneurs, including guided discussions about local challenges and mentoring to support entrepreneurs. Based on a model of public research and diffuse design methodology, we set a joint action between Academia, Civil Society, Municipality and local companies in order to bring them into a common dimension and identify opportunities to develop valuable (and viable) strategies for the future of the local community. This model allows us to work on several aspects simultaneously, reinforcing the strategic alignment within the territory. Participants benefit from the synergies raised within the process, while getting real time feedback on their projects. Depending on each session's theme, we invite different experts to help prepare the sessions and provide guidance to local entrepreneurs. Viana Abordo, therefore, fosters simultaneously the innovation and entrepreneurial scene on the territory, citizenship activation and participation, intelligent specialization and sustainability.
The first edition (2018/ 2019) resulted in 9 sessions, counting with the engagement of over 350 participants and the support to the development 12 project ideas, over 50 hours of collective mentorship and 20 hours of individual mentorship. The success of this edition led us into continuing the partnership between Dinamo10 and the City Hall of Viana do Castelo, that decide to reactivate the project this current year, adopting similar models and frameworks to promote a more sustainable and networked local entrepreneurship and citizens engagement.

Key objectives for sustainability

In terms of sustainability, Viana Abordo focused in promoting the attraction/ retention of young talent, connection between urban and rural contexts and interaction between economic sectors( from the creative industries to agriculture or the blue economy). It did so by promoting debate around different local challenges, addressing them to different social agents, from students, to entrepreneurs, policymakers and civil society. Such sessions would also involve the participation of field experts to inspire and inform the local audience about global opportunities and resources. From this successful public-private partnership between Viana do Castelo's municipality and Dinamo10 creative hub, a number of interesting projects have stem. The first of these is the spin-off program Rural Hub, which takes on methodologies similar to those already developed and tested within Viana Abordo, now applied to the neighboring rural territories in the region. Another example, is the successful S+T+Arts centre now being developed in Viana do Castelo by the city hall and Dinamo10, among other partners. Last but not least, the informal rural hubs network Creative Habitat, composed by Dinamo10, Espacio Arroelo (Pontevedra), Sende and Anceu co-livings (now also including Treballu, in Italy) is currently working on a Creative Europe application to consolidate, expand and replicate their innovative and effective collaboration model of working in low density territories, always focusing on talent attraction, cultural development, environmental sustainability and economic growth.

Key objectives for aesthetics and quality

Having Dinamo10 as one of the leading partners in this initiative has made a huge difference in terms of the aesthetic experience for all stakeholders involved. Dinamo10 is a creative hub (member of the European Creative Hubs Network), dedicated to promote and support the work of cultural and creative entrepreneurs in Viana do Castelo and the North of Portugal. Closely collaborating with other creative hubs and innovation institutions such as UPTEC (Porto), the Viana do Castelo Polytechnic School or CIM Alto Minho (a network of Minho's regions municipalities), Dinamo10 has been a reference not only in the creative industries sector but also in the entrepreneurship and innovation spheres in general. Its founder, Joana Carvalho, has an acute sense of curatorship, selecting and supporting projects that are not only economically viable but also aesthetically innovative and contemporary. This sense of excellence has of course contaminated Viana Abordo's identity, not only in visual terms (from the design of its promotional materials to the resulting video and photos, presentations and other contents) but also in terms of the curatorship of guest speakers and mentors who collaborate with the program. Examples such as Barbara Statcher (European Commission), Yoan Stevens (Sanitop), Africa Rodriguez (Espacio Arroelo), Edo (Sende Co-living), Fátima São Simão (cultural economist), David Michael Callison (architect) or Marc Navarro (coworking expert), among other, clearly show the diversity of topics and approaches presented at Viana Abordo.
On the other hand, the possibility of delivering the sessions in iconic spaces belonging to the municipality of Viana (such as the municipal theatre or local museums and heritage sights) make the entire experience much more inspiring and memorable to all the local participants involved, promoting a sense of belonging which would be otherwise impossible.

Key objectives for inclusion

One of Viana Abordo's main concerns from the very beginning was that the project had to be accessible to virtually all of Viana do Castelo's citizens. Therefore, the program has been totally funded by the city hall, both through direct coverage of essential costs and by providing the necessary resources for the implementation of activities (namely venues and equipment). This has made it possible to offer the sessions for free to local participants and also to guarantee that, in most cases, these sessions took place in spaces prepared to receive people with special needs (namely physically impaired people). The participation of the city hall as a main partner has also made possible a more expanded communication, reaching schools, care homes and civil society organization that would otherwise be excluded from such relevant conversations. Examples of this is the session that took place at the secondary school Santa Maria Maior or the participation of civil society organizations such as AISCA (association for social, cultural and artistic intervention of Viana do Castelo).

Results in relation to category

The first edition (2018/ 2019) resulted in 9 sessions, counting with the engagement of over 350 participants and the support to the development 12 project ideas, over 50 hours of collective mentorship and 20 hours of individual mentorship. The success of this edition led us into continuing the partnership between Dinamo10 and the City Hall of Viana do Castelo, that decided to reactivate the project this current year, adopting similar models and frameworks to continue to promote a more sustainable and networked local entrepreneurship and citizens engagement.

How Citizens benefit

The main impact of the project has been the effective engagement of citizen - particularly entrepreneurs - in developing innovative solutions for the city. Inspired and supported by the interesting network of experts, participants had the chance to directly interact with them, not only during the conferences but in subsequent collective or individual mentoring sessions, where experts shared their visions and proposed strategies for the development of their entrepreneurial projects. Projects such as Atelier Entropico (activities for kids), Bipolar (design studio), Mai'land Guitars (cork made guitars) are some of the examples of the projects that started their activity with the support of Viana Abordo program and continued their activities, eventually developing other projects and joint activities with Viana do Castelo and other Minho region's municipalities. On the other hand, the participation of experts such as Barbara Statcher or Fátima São Simão have helped raise awareness among local policymakers to the importance of the cultural and creative industries, eventually leading to the organization of the European Creative Hubs Network conference in Viana do Castelo (in 2022) and to the application to host a S+T+Arts centre in the city (recently approved).

Physical or other transformations

It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Innovative character

The main innovation of Viana Abordo is the actual engagement of citizens and local policymakers, through the entrepreneurship and innovation lenses, and under a careful creative (even artistic) approach. The partnership with a creative hub as allowed to reach a community that would otherwise be impossible to reach. Tech programs and events usually alienate other professionals who feel that the activities are not for them or that they don't understand enough to participate. The communication (and aesthetic) expertise and sensitivity of cultural and creative structures such as Dinamo10 and its network of creative professionals and startups allows for a much more effective and open engagement of all stakeholders involved. Because of the careful curatorial and communication work developed by Viana Abordo and also because of the familiarity and informality of the contexts of Viana Abordo's sessions, the program allowed to reach a range of participants that would usually not participate in this kind of activities as they often feel intimidated or allienated. To that extent, we can say that Viana Abordo is a social entrepreneurship program, not because it promotes social entrepreneurship (it does not focus on one particular type of entrepreneurship) but because it actually promotes the active and open participation of all types of entrepreneurs and citizens (who eventually feel inspired to pursue a more entrepreneurial pathway as well). On the other hand, because of its informal and unpretentious environment, the program all allows for an effective dialogue between municipality and its citizens. It's an innovative and efficient model of local network activation, where everybody has something to gain.

Disciplines/knowledge reflected

Viana Abordo was a work in progress initiative all along the way, which involved the collaboration of creative professionals, managers, economists, policymakers and experts in entrepreneurship and innovation. Cultural and creative workers were fundamental both in contributing to create Viana Abordo concept but also to the selection of its inspirational guest speakers and to the definition of its identity and discourse. The help of managers, engineers, economists and other specialized experts was also critical not only for the rigorous implementation of the project but also to inspire and help the participating entrepreneurial projects. Finally, the active engagement of policymakers and local government has allowed for a much closer and open dialogue between all agents involved and also the development of new projects and initiatives to reinforce the regions economic development and attractiveness for younger professionals and entrepreneurs.

Methodology used

Viana Abordo guarantees a space for the people of Viana (Vienenses) to not only co-create the future of the region but also to lead their own projects benefiting from the network that stems from Viana Abordo's own maturity. Each session is an open and shared process, where everyone is invited to take part and to give and receive important contributes. This involves an inspiring guest speaker who is invited to discuss an important topic for the region. After a short expert presentation, the debate is open and all are invited to participate and present their ideas, challenges and proposals.
Viana Abordo, also includes a mentorship program with the aim of support the development of answers to the opportunities that emerge at the sessions, specially those with a strategic potential for the city and the region (namely, those promoted by local entrepreneurs). This mentorship program involves both collective and individual mentoring sessions, delivered by experts already engaged in Viana Abordo's growing network.
In an organic and almost unexpected way, the work already developed has revealed to be and important contribute to reinforce the sense of belonging among citizens (both between its traditional local population but also among new comers), and hence cultivating a strong sense of identity and value for the region.

How stakeholders are engaged

As explained above, Viana Abordo results from a partnership between the Viana do Castelo's city hall and a local private creative hub, Dinamo10. While the city hall has provided access to resources and local networks, Dinamo10 has provided access to a vast and specialized network of experts and entrepreneurs in the creative and cultural industries. This has raised the interest of stakeholders and municipalities, leading them to promote the project all over Minho allowing it to attract entrepreneurs from other parts of the region. It has also led into the development of new projects, namely the promotion of cowork spaces for public servants and private startups within CIM Alto Minho (regional network of municipalities) or the development of similar initiatives in other parts of the region (such as the Rural Hubs program). Finally, the engagement of European level agents has allowed to raise the standards of Viana do Castelo within the context of the creative and cultural industries, ultimately attracting new stakeholders and promoting the entry in new European networks such as the S+T+Arts initiative.

Global challenges

The most percent global challenge addressed by Viana Abordo is sustainability. The current economic and climate crisis urge for radically innovative and local community based answers. Projects like Viana Abordo, that promote stakeholders dialogues while, at the same time, guarantee free direct support to the implementation of small and medium projects and initiatives are an effective way to take our current world challenges. There is no place for universalist solutions. Local communities are part of local ecosystems and need to be directly engaged in finding solutions for their local problems, considering their culture and environmental landscapes and diversity.
Viana Abordo is an excellent example of an effective collaboration between a city hall and a local creative hub/ cowork space, which allows grassroots proposals to directly influence and contribute to regional policy making in a totally open and transparent way.

Learning transferred to other parties

A lot of Viana Abordo's elements can be (and are already being) replicated. Its engaging sessions and open co-creation methodologies have inspired the creation of Rural Hub program, which is being delivered in the rural contexts throughout the Minho region. The same type of open innovation approaches have also been the essential methodology used to promote work meeting between the creative and rural hubs in the region and Galicia. The goal of Creative Habitat network (application to the Creative Europe program under development) is precisely to optimize and sistematize the knowledge and information gathered in programs such as Viana Abordo, to allow other regions and creative hubs in low density territories to attract new talent, activate new initiatives and reignite their economies.