Fashion and food are mature sectors all over Europe. Nevertheless, they are still a strong part of our economy, in their different segments: luxury and mass production.

Key background elements are:

• The value of the two sectors for the European economy, based on quality as a strategic lever, in comparison with other world economies

• The cultural and economic impact on other sectors (tourism, art, cultural services)

• The peculiarity of the material content of the two sectors, source of cultural and economic added value.

Many studies demonstrate that cultural industries foster micro- and macro- regeneration processes at the urban level: in response to adverse macroeconomic circumstances, local manufacturing has progressively shifted to material cultural production that requires locally-specific knowledge as a point of differentiation in global markets; valorising craft competences and linking urban hubs with productive (agricultural and textile) districts, urban food and fashion remain a privileged field of urban economic development.

As for the central sustainability issue, we see that fashion&food show many examples of common problems and are directly involved in finding solutions together.

At academic level, these two sectors are traditionally kept separate from each other. Combining the knowledge about the two sectors seems very promising if we want to create new job opportunities in cultural/ creative urban industries.

All in all, we want to explore the pedagogical challenges of teaching in this space, combining a sociological critical approach to cultural industries with the need of providing innovative ideas and skills for the near future.

Duration: 36 months -1.12.2022 – 30.11.2024

8 partners from 6 EU countries