“Lisboa Criativa”: Why it is important to connect

This article is double aimed —it addresses the relevance of connections among the participants of the Lisbon creative ecosystem and presents a distinct model of a platform which creates and facilitates connection within this network. This research project is part of a strategy set up by the creative economy sector of the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa [Lisbon City Council], the CML, whose ambition is to position Lisbon as one of the most creative cities in Europe. Lisbon is currently the most creative city in Portugal. However, the professionals and institutions connected to the city’s creative ecosystem still lack a significant grasp of the rich infrastructure available in the city, as well as the existing knowledge, skills, and tools that can facilitate establishing of new creative partnerships and sharing of experiences and equipment. Considering this situation, we decided to carry multiple research projects aimed at finding the most appropriate model of an online platform which could fulfil these needs. The platform which was created as a result of these research projects is called Lisboa Criativa [—Creative Lisbon]. Its primary goals are to connect participants of the city’s creative ecosystem; foster partnerships; generate national and international visibility; and support local projects. These goals ultimately concur with positioning Lisbon as a creative city. The focus on its Cultural and Creative Industries (the CCIs) would allow Lisbon to combine the aforementioned strategies with the development of a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem and foster further economic activity.