DC Living Lab is an international student exchange program focused on creativity and innovation, powered by the Districts of Creativity Network. It offers students from all the Districts of Creativity (DC) the opportunity to work in an international team to tackle real challenges within the Creative and Cultural Industries (CCIs).

The program runs in a hybrid format this year, combining a 5-day online bootcamp from March 18-22, 2024 (online), and an in-person workshop and presentations during the Creativity World Forum (CWF) from April 15-17, 2024 (Bilbao, Basque Country).

The 2024 edition will be coordinated by KSIgune, the Cluster for Cultural and Creative Industries in the Basque Country, and Travelling U, an educational cooperative that designs international learning experiences based on three main pillars: collaborative learning, human-centered design, and entrepreneurship.

DC Living Lab 2024 in a nutshell

  • 4 key real social challenges that connect with the key topics of the CWF.
  • 24 international students working on the challenges at hand in groups of 6 people
  • Challenge Owners from the Basque Country District of Creativity network that bring context and realness to the challenges
  • A hybrid process that includes shared workshops and working sessions online and in-person training and presentations during the forum.

Key ingredients for participants

  • Meet & learn from the brightest creative and innovative experts and minds at CCIs.
  • Practice and sharpen design-thinking skills.
  • Create an impact by working on solutions for real social challenges.
  • Work in an international team and expand the network.

Who’s organising the DCLivingLab?

The DC Living Lab is one of the core activities of the Districts of Creativity Network, a global network connecting regions throughout the world to share and develop practices on stimulating creativity in society to foster innovation and prosperity.  The DC Living Lab travels through the member regions and is each time organised by an individual member in partnership with regional partners.

Previous editions of the DC Living Lab have been held in Baden-Wurttenberg (Germany), Noord-Brabant (Netherlands), Antwerp (Belgium) and Aarhus (Denmark).

(Header photo: Laura Wager)