Chambers of the Future: the role of CCIs in sustaining the ecosystem of cultural and recreational companies

One of the main challenges that the Chambers of Commerce across Europe are facing is to promote forms of support and guidance towards foreign markets dedicated to companies operating in sectors that have long remained on the margins of this activity. Within the European Union, regional marketing strategies are increasingly adopted, starting from cross-fertilization between different sectors and seeking to enhance companies and supply chains belonging to Culture and Creative Industries. The strength of these supply chains lies precisely in the ability to tell not only their own story but also the economy of the territories in which they are located.

Culture and Creative Industries (CCIs) play a vital role in supporting the ecosystem of recreation and culture enterprises as well as the economy as a whole. In this context, the projects supported by the European Union are essential to foster growth, resilience and innovation of the sector. In 2022 in Italy, the value added generated by CCIs reached €95.5 billion, representing 5.6% of the national economy, an increase of 6.8% from 2021. This is a relevant aspect since cultural activities have a multiplier effect: every euro produced by the sector creates an extra €1.80 across other sectors. For instance, in 2022, €95.5 billion of value added generated by the culture and creative industries stimulated an additional €176.4 billion across the rest of the economy, leading to a total national economic impact of €271.9 billion. More broadly in 2023, the CCIs in the European Union produced a value added of €202 billion, accounting for 1.9% of the total business economy.

In more detail, the Italian subsector holding the largest share of value added is videogames and software (27.7%), followed by publishing and printing (20.6%) and architecture and design (14.8%). At EU level, however, the sectoral composition is different. The largest share is represented by printing and reproduction of recorded media, as well as manufacture of musical instruments and jewellery (15.1%), while motion picture and television, sound recording and music publishing; renting of video tapes and discs, represent another significant share (14.9%), at the same level as architectural activities (14.9%).

Concretely, the Chambers of Commerce can further enhance the CCIs through programmes that promote B2B events abroad involving companies from other sectors such as the agri-food sector (as demonstrated by the Tabulae project promoted by the Chamber of Commerce of Turin that brings together tradition and innovation in the agri-food sector and, through the work of designers and illustrators, the product is transformed into a visual narrative). Other examples include textiles, fashion, furniture or even aerospace (think of the evocative power of literature, comics and cinema with reference to interstellar space).

Bibliography:

Culture statistics - cultural enterprises. (n.d.). Ec.Europa.Eu. Retrieved July 9, 2026, from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Culture_statistics_-_cultural_enterprises

g.pischedda@to.camcom.it