Understanding Young Creatives: Survey and Focus Group Findings

The Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) stand at the forefront of Europe’s innovation, embodying cultural diversity, entrepreneurship, and civic participation. As Europe advances through a period of rapid digital transformation, these sectors are evolving in unprecedented ways, requiring professionals to merge creativity with technological fluency and adaptability. For young people entering or aspiring to enter the CCI, this transformation presents both opportunity and challenge. On the one hand, new digital tools enable broader creative expression and global collaboration; on the other, many young creatives lack access to structured learning pathways, advanced digital competencies, and opportunities to develop soft skills essential for professional growth. Fragmented learning ecosystems, unequal access to training, and the absence of targeted support for emerging artists and cultural professionals often result in a mismatch between talent and opportunity. The DigiCreate project directly addresses these gaps by promoting digital empowerment, creative innovation, and inclusive participation among young people in the CCI. It recognizes that creativity and technology are now inseparable dimensions of cultural production, and that fostering digital confidence is key to ensuring full participation in Europe’s creative future. Within this broader framework, Work Package 3 Needs Assessment - Deliverable 3.1 (D3.1) serves as the project’s analytical foundation. It explores how young creatives currently use digital tools, what competencies they feel they lack, and how they wish to learn. The rationale is clear: by grounding the design of future tools and learning resources (particularly D3.2, the DigiCreate Online Creative Hive Open Digital Toolbox) in real evidence from young people, DigiCreate ensures that its outputs respond directly to current realities, reducing skill disparities and empowering youth to shape the ongoing digital and creative transition.