The launch of the Creative Business School and Creative Industries Association on the left bank of the Nistru river, the establishment of a partnership between relevant associations from both sides of the Nistru for promoting the export of creative industries’ products and services, 200 trained specialists from the creative sector, 10 creative businesses on both banks of the river, prepared to establish business partnerships abroad.

These are just few results of an initiative implemented during 2021 by the Creative Industries Association (COR) and the Agency for Innovation and Development, with the assistance of the “Advanced cross-river capacities for trade” (AdTrade) project, funded by Sweden and the United Kingdom and implemented by UNDP. The results were presented today during a final conference attended by several beneficiary companies.

The first stage on the initiative comprised the mapping of the sectors which are part of creative industries on the left bank of Nistru. Then, the Creative Industries Association was founded and developed, including today 53 active members.

“We are so proud that the expertise accumulated by Artcor and COR Association over the past three years of activity has supported the creation of a creative community in Tiraspol. We are glad to be the first partners of the Association from Tiraspol and to develop two big programs this year: Creative Export and Creative Business School, thus contributing to developing the creative industries on both banks of the river,” mentioned Viorica Cerbușca, Artcor Director.

The team from the left bank of the Nistru river did not expect such a high interest from local companies. “Our Association’s members are already involved in collaborations and initiate joint projects. Now we enjoy an active and united team of participants. Their desire to learn more and to act, so as their gratitude, all these are motivating us to pursue new achievements,” states Olesya Lungu, Director of the Creative Industries Association from the left side of the Nistru river.

The Creative Business School emerged as a natural step forward during the second stage of the initiative. For three months, about 200 persons benefited from online trainings on topics of interest for small businesses. In total, 10 courses were provided within this school, tackling topics on branding, project management, financial planning, sales and design thinking.

The participants learned valuable lessons from notable practitioners. “It is great that such an activity exists in our region. I liked the most the module on financial planning. The trainer was a producer with a lot of experience, who clearly described the entire chain of products’ creation. I would not have found something like this in any handbook! Now I am using this ‘scheme’ in my work and it helps me a lot,” says Suzana Rocoman, student at the Creative Business School, author of educational books for children.

During the last stage, 10 companies from creative areas focused on exports were selected to join the “Creative Export” program. As a result of two months of training, discussions, group and individual consultations, those 10 local enterprises received a pitch deck necessary for establishing B2B business partnerships. Every delivered material is built based on the specifics of the company and those of the selected export market.

Natalia Știrbul, the founder of Cireșel Brand – a beneficiary of the program, mentioned that they tried to access the export markets through participation in international exhibitions, fashion shows, via web page, which turned complicated. “Working together, we succeeded to identify a rational which might catch the interest of buyers from the northern countries’ concept stores. I really hope that we have targeted well and will obtain results to be proud of in a very short period.”

The initiative implemented in the framework of the AdTrade/UNDP project with financial assistance provided by Sweden and the United Kingdom over the last year aimed to improve cooperation between the two associations of creative industries from both banks of the Nistru river, to enhance the skills and competences of small entrepreneurs to deal efficiently with business activity, to prepare creative companies with export potential to find and to communicate better with potential buyers from foreign markets.