A UNESCO-supported project by Georgian professionals of the culture field will be unveiled this week to present a vision on boosting sustainability of artistic and cultural organisations and individuals in the country in the coming years.

Led by Creative Georgia, a culture agency working to support creative industries in the country, the project is benefiting from becoming the first initiative in Georgia to be funded by the UNESCO’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity.

Entitled Creative Twist: Boosting Economic Capacity of Creative and Cultural Industries in Georgia, it is also supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth of Georgia and aims to study areas of prospective support for local institutions and artists and present a programme for enacting the vision.

The professionals involved in the project have been working in “research and mapping phases” for identifying elements of sustainability for the creative sector, with a campaign for raising awareness around the issue, and a five-year strategy and action plan for the industry to follow.

For highlighting the initiative and involving relevant individuals and institutions in discussions on the subject, Creative Georgia will host an online presentation of Creative Twist on Friday.

Beside an introduction of the project to a wider audience, the online event will also involve a panel discussion on “creative economy and importance of the interdisciplinary cooperation”, a preview from organisers said, with a Q&A session also planned.

Both state- and non-governmental work on developing economic sustainability and opportunities for creative industries have kicked into a higher gear over the past few years in Georgia, particularly with the challenges posed to the sector by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The latest initiative comes from the 2017-founded Creative Georgia, with a budget of over $88,000 from the UNESCO fund. The international body has said Creative Twist will look to “[contribute] to a sustainable system of cultural policy in Georgia” and “[strengthen] the role of civil society in the implementation of Georgia’s cultural policy”.