Viveros Creativos

Projects / By

 An initiative to create sustainable multi-sector collaborative models to generate, incubate and promote entrepreneurial initiatives and projects in the cultural and creative industries of Colombia., April 2019 – December 2021

In February 2019, the Colombian Government convened the “Mission of Wise Men and Women”, or “Misión de Sabios” in Spanish, a high-level group of 45 national and international experts, with the mission to chart the future of the country in key strategic areas. The group were commissioned to define the country’s priorities in education, science, technology and innovation for the next 20 to 30 years, focusing on eight strategic areas. In support of its mandate, the Misión de Sabios designated key research and education institutions and universities as its Technical Secretariats for the creation and coordination of Focal Groups for each of the eight strategic areas. The Pontificia Universidad Javeriana was designated as the Technical Secretariat for the Focal Group on Cultural and Creative Industries.

In April 2019, the Swiss consulting agency, World Entrepreneurs (WE), joined the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (PUJ) to support the initiative “Viveros Creativos” as part of the recommendations of the Misión de Sabios for the Cultural and Creative Industries of Colombia. A partnership agreement for the development and implementation of the initiative was concluded by PUJ and WE in August 2019; and a proposal was jointly submitted to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for its presentation at the UNCTAD’s International Expert Meting on Creative Economy in October 2019.

On 29 October, Oscar Hernandez (PUJ) and Leticia Gennes (WE) presented the initiative “Viveros Creativos” at the UNCTAD’s Expert Meeting on Creative Economy as part of the discussions on good practices and recommendations on inclusive and sustainable national strategies and initiatives to develop and strengthen the creative and cultural sector.


Misión de Sabios, December 2019

Coinciding with the creation of Colombia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in December 2019, the Misión de Sabios presented President Duque with an official report with the main findings, conclusions and recommendations for the progress of Colombia on Education, Science, Technology and Innovation in the eight prioritized strategic areas, including in the Cultural and Creative Industries. The volume is a compendium of recommendations on strategies, policies and proposals for the development and implementation of Colombia’s National Strategy on Education, Science, Technology and Innovation to forge the future of an entrepreneurial State and a knowledge-based Economy for a more equitable and sustainable Society.

The Sabios included “Viveros Creativos” within its recommendations to implement the National Strategy on Education, Science, Technology and Innovation in the Cultural and Creative Industries. This recommendation is also included in the publication “Arte, Cultura y Conocimiento”, released in July 2020.

In November 2021, PUJ and WE concluded consultations, and a proposal was submitted to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation for the implementation of the initiative “Viveros Creativos”. The proposal focuses on the installation process of the first pilots, aiming to strengthening their capacity to develop, implement and monitor multi-sector collaborative models that can generate, incubate and promote projects and entrepreneurial initiatives in the cultural and creative industries in a sustainable manner; as well as to support new installations in cooperation with other local and international actors.


This initiative envisions the creation of a nation-wide network of pilot centres and programmes “Viveros Creativos” with the capacity to develop sustainable multisector collaborations or quadruple helix models around the research, education and cultural institutions to generate, incubate and promote cultural projects and entrepreneurial initiatives in the creative and cultural industries of Colombia at the local and national level, and with the potential to replicate and internationalize through international cooperation. “Viveros” is expected to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 17.

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