The German Creative Economy Summit (GCES) is the first nationwide conference for the creative industries. On 6 and 7 March 2024, representatives from the industry, politics and science will meet in Hamburg. Over 100 speakers will shed light on the innovative potential of the creative industry and the current and future challenges facing creative professionals.


 

The leading platform for creative professionals
A total of almost 90 individual events are on the programme of the German Creative Economy Summit. These are spread across eight stages on the grounds of the Kulturfabrik Kampnagel in Hamburg.

 

The topics that drive the creative economy
Eleven submarkets make up the cultural and creative industries – and together they are one of the strongest economic sectors in Germany. In 2021, creative professionals generated a gross value added of 103.7 billion euros, more than in mechanical engineering or the chemical industry. In addition, creative professionals drive social and economic innovation and are important drivers for the future. At GCES, topics such as artificial intelligence and its significance for creative work, the promotion of democracy by creative professionals, sustainability and the circular economy, the city of the future, gamification and future funding models for the creative industry will therefore be discussed – in lectures, workshops, panel discussions and, of course, at concerts, live DJ sets, film screenings and exhibitions.

 

Many personalities, different perspectives
What do presenter Judith Rakers, the band Deichkind, artist Jonathan Meese, publicist Jagoda Marinić and comic artist Jonathan Kunz have to say about the importance of the creative industries for the future? In five live interviews, they provide an insight into their personal perspectives on creative potential. They will also be joined by leading figures from top associations and agencies such as Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy EMEA Dr Stephan Vogel, Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Partner of Serviceplan GER Stephanie Kuhnen and Head of Google’s Central Europe Creative Works Team Oliver Rosenthal. In further keynotes, keynote speeches and welcoming addresses, Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth and Hamburg’s Senator for Culture Dr Carsten Brosda will address the political framework conditions for the creative industries. Daniel Budimann, Nina Sonnenberg and Eva Wolfnagel, among others, will lead through the program.

 
Inspiration through discussion
How does generative artificial intelligence influence the work of creative professionals? And how are value creation systems and fields of work changing as a result? Holger Volland, Larissa Pohl, Lisa Steigertahl, Svetlana Jakel and Jochen Adler discuss the opportunities and challenges of this transformative technology, while artist Roman Lipski explores creative collaboration with AI. Of course, AI also harbours risks for the authenticity of news disseminated by the media. Julia Becker, Meinolf Ellers and Sonja Schwetje talk about the impact of AI on trust in the media
and the journalism of tomorrow against the backdrop of deepfakes and the like. The responsibility of the creative industries for democracy also plays a major role. Anna Pflüger, Dr Hendryk Balkow and Dr Felix Kosok will explain in a panel how creative professionals can contribute to an open discourse.

 

Initiated by the Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft
The Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, a public funding organisation for the creative industries in Hamburg, is organising the event. The Coalition for Cultural and Creative Industries Germany (k3d) and the network of public funding organisations for the cultural and creative industries in Germany are supporting the GCES as partners. The Hamburg Ministry of Culture and Media also supports the German Creative Economy Summit.

 
More information and tickets are available here.