Brno launches creative vouchers, becoming the first city in the Czech Republic to support the collaboration of creatives and companies

Brno launches the JIC CREATIVE VOUCHER service, which aims to deepen cooperation between South Moravian companies and professionals from creative fields. The goal is to encourage companies to support their business with a professional presentation of their portfolio. Interested parties will receive vouchers for joint projects of up to 100,000 crowns. Brno contributes 4 million crowns towards the vouchers.

What can companies get funding for? It may involve product redesign or designing a new visual style for the company. They will choose from professionals in fields such as graphic design, marketing, as well as performing arts, literature, or architecture. For mutual cooperation, they will receive a one-time grant of up to 75 percent of the costs, but a maximum of 100,000 crowns.

JIC CREATIVE VOUCHER is a domestic novelty. "Innovative companies in South Moravia often have products and services that stand out not only locally but also globally. They have mastered technology well, but they dedicate less energy to communicating their portfolio to customers," explains JIC director Jiří Hudeček, why JIC decided to help deepen companies' experiences with collaboration with creatives.

The project was funded by the City Hall of Brno. "According to a study mapping the local creative sector, there are several thousand professionals in the creative industry in Brno. All of them can help companies become more competitive and innovative," says Brno mayor Petr Vokřál. Brno and JIC have experience with supporting companies through vouchers - seven years ago, Brno was the first city in the republic to introduce the JIC INNOVATION VOUCHER, which contributes to linking companies with researchers. The successful concept has been gradually adopted by other regions.

Companies based in South Moravia will be able to select professionals from a specially created creative gallery for collaboration. Interested parties from creative fields with at least five years of experience can apply to it starting from November 2. Companies can submit applications for specific projects from February 1, 2016, after attending a workshop where they will receive information on how to properly set up a creative project. The vouchers will be drawn by representatives of the city and JIC in April 2016.

The inspiration comes from similar services in cities such as Salzburg or Manchester. Local companies have established long-term cooperation with creatives through vouchers, which has also initiated wider innovation processes within the company. You can learn more at http://www.jic.cz/kreativni-voucher.