The allure of self-employment, freelance work, and cooperative ventures attracts many individuals in the creative fields. However, they often struggle with effectively commercializing their expertise. The identification and pricing of their services remain significant hurdles that demand attention.

Surprisingly, despite these challenges, the creative economy plays a more substantial role in Finland’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than industries such as electronics, paper, or hospitality. Its remarkable contribution to employment further underscores its importance. While the creative industries employ over 100,000 people in Finland, there is still substantial room for growth.

Currently, the creative economy represents less than 4% of the country’s GDP, significantly lower than the average for other Nordic countries and the European Union. To address this disparity, the Finnish government aims to elevate the creative industries’ contribution to GDP to match that of benchmark countries (Government of Finland 2019, 172).

At the heart of the creative economy are the innovative contributions of individuals who introduce new ways of operating, service concepts, content, products, services, and brands. However, the creative industries in Finland have identified a critical bottleneck in business counseling, hindering the sector’s progress (Tarjanne 2020, 10).

Creative professionals embarking on entrepreneurial endeavors

Business counseling services for creative entrepreneurship have proven inconsistent, making it challenging for individuals to find the support they need. Additionally, limited employment opportunities after graduation often compel creative professionals to establish their own businesses as their primary means of employment (ibid., 18).

Various obstacles impact the economic sustainability of creative practitioners, including fragmented work and income, a lack of collaboration and knowledge sharing, a disconnect from historical context, and a perception of the creative industries as socially isolated entities (Pekkarinen et al., 2022, 24). The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted issues related to recognition and fairness within the sector (ibid., 34).

Overcoming these challenges requires effective business guidance. Creative professionals embarking on entrepreneurial endeavors must navigate various considerations, such as defining their business idea, developing a comprehensive business plan, conducting market research, and formulating a compelling service proposition. Many of these aspects may be unfamiliar territory for creative practitioners, necessitating the assistance of experienced business advisors.

Within the ELOSSA! project, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences actively facilitates collaboration between the creative industries and nursing homes. This initiative aims to infuse joy and vitality into nursing home environments while simultaneously creating new employment opportunities for creative practitioners.

Building New Collaboration Models

Haaga-Helia’s experienced business mentors work closely with creative professionals to refine their service design. Together, they explore the core elements of their products: their intended purpose, target audience, time requirements, and pricing strategies. Engaging in peer work, peer learning, and utilizing business development tools fosters an environment of growth and expertise enhancement.

The project endeavors to establish an innovative collaboration model between nursing homes and the creative industries. This model strengthens the sense of belonging, meaningfulness, and active involvement among all stakeholders. Rapid prototyping workshops bring together seniors, nursing home staff, and creative practitioners to collectively develop and refine new collaboration approaches.

Through the ELOSSA! project, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences plays a crucial role in empowering creative practitioners in their entrepreneurial journey. By addressing the challenges faced by the creative industries, fostering collaboration, and providing valuable guidance, the project contributes to the growth and sustainability of the creative economy in Finland.

References

Finnish Government. 2019. Pääministeri Sanna Marinin hallituksen ohjelma 10.12.2019. Osallistava ja osaava Suomi. Sosiaalisesti, taloudellisesti ja ekologisesti kestävä yhteiskunta. Valtioneuvoston julkaisuja 2019:31. Finnish Government. Helsinki.

Pekkarinen, J. & Siltanen, K. 2022. Taidealan jälleenrakennus. Polkuja alan kestävään tulevaisuuteen. Toim. Virkala, M. Taideyliopisto. Helsinki.

Tarjanne, P. 2020. Luovan talouden tiekartta. Työ- ja elinkeinoministeriön julkaisuja 2020:48. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland. Helsinki.