The creative economy, at the center of the Berlin Process, as a new opportunity for Albania and the Region

The creative economy is not a whim of artists. It is a wise policy for a region that needs to produce hope, not just statistics.

In a region where for years the news about regional cooperation has focused on highways, energy, and trade tariffs, this time a different word entered the scene with the weight of a new policy: the creative economy.

As part of the Berlin Process, an initiative launched in 2014 to help the Western Balkans move closer to the European Union through reforms and cooperation, a meeting held on May 28 in Montenegro shifted the approach: for the first time, culture and creative innovation took center stage on the agenda.

The meeting, attended by all six countries of the region – Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro – was held in the presence of senior representatives from the British Council and the UK Government. Among them, Karen Pierce, the UK’s Special Envoy for the Balkans, and Kate Ewart Biggs, Deputy Chief Executive of the British Council. They were not there to talk about art for art’s sake, but about economic development and hope for young people who are increasingly leaving the region.

🎙️ “It’s not just for artists, it’s about employment, sustainability, the future,” said Ms. Tamara Vujović, Montenegro’s Minister of Culture, who hosted the meeting with visible enthusiasm.

She did not speak only on behalf of Montenegro. Through a joint declaration, all ministers of culture pledged to work together to establish a regional policy for the creative economy.

The goal?

To stop brain drain, to create jobs, and to build new bridges of cooperation—this time through culture, design, technology, and media.

For Albania, this is more than just a formal document. It is a wake-up call.

Tirana has already shown its potential—recall the year 2022 when it was named European Youth Capital and hosted over 1,000 cultural and creative activities in just one year.

But is this potential institutionalized?

Does Albania have a strategy for the creative economy?

The answer is no.

Instead of an integrated policy, the country suffers from fragmentation, where culture is treated separately, education follows its own path, and the economy does not recognize creative potential. Meanwhile, public funding is minimal, and cooperation with the private sector remains symbolic.

But the opportunities are there.
With this new move in the Berlin Process, Albania can join joint EU–UK funds, benefit from programs like Creative Europe or Erasmus+ Culture, and export its most invisible industry – creativity.

From digital art to music, from fashion to cultural technology, the potential is there—but it needs direction, support, and vision.

What can Albania do?

• Draft a national strategy for the creative economy 2025–2030, as part of the development and innovation plan;
• Establish a national fund to support creative startups, professional networks, and international exposure;
• Build partnerships with neighboring countries to carry out joint projects related to education, cultural tourism, and the digital economy.

At the end of the day, the message is clear:

If in the past culture was just political decor, today it is becoming a new foundation for economic development. It does not ask for help to survive, but for space to create. And this is a chance Albania must not miss.