CREATIVE BLOOM MENTOR PROGRAM FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY STARTS ON SEPTEMBER 24th
The upcoming “Creative Bloom” mentor program is tailored for aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly creative and entrepreneurial women aged 40+, in the creative industry. The program aims to support women in Estonia’s Ida-Viru County and Latvia’s Vidzeme region in launching their own businesses within the creative sector. A total of 16 enterprising women from Estonia and Latvia will embark on this program simultaneously. This initiative strengthens entrepreneurial activity among women in both Ida-Viru and Vidzeme, fostering growth in the region’s creative industry.
The target group in Estonia includes women residing in Ida-Viru County. Participants can be individuals (preferably) or women who have recently established an organization (such as an NGO, LLC, or sole proprietorship). The application period closed on June 17, with 25 women applying in Estonia and 95 in Latvia, marking a surprisingly high and encouraging level of interest on both sides of the border. This is the first time that both project partners are conducting such a field-specific program, and it’s also the first time it’s being carried out in cross-border collaboration.
All program activities are scheduled from August 2024 to October 2025. The program includes a variety of components: six mentoring club meetings, two two-day training sessions (on product and service development), a three-day study tour to Latvia, and a three-day study tour to Estonia.
Kersti Liiva, Creative Industry Project Manager for Ida-Viru, says: “We expected active women to join the program, especially those already involved in creative work as a hobby, crafting, creating, or who have just started a small business. The greatest benefit of the program comes when participants are open-minded, ready to embrace new challenges, willing to listen to mentors, ask questions, and fully engage. We selected women from across the region, of different ages and various fields. We hope the participants will gain valuable knowledge and support and build a strong network among themselves.”
Women who complete the mentor program will expand their knowledge of entrepreneurship, gain international experience, forge new contacts, and receive continuous mentoring support from our outstanding mentors. They will also gain confidence and support in establishing and launching their business. Participants are expected to establish their own businesses by the end of the program and attend at least 80% of the program’s events.
Piia Tamm, Coordinator of the Ida-Viru Creative Cluster, adds: “The mentor program focuses on the development of the creative sector in both Estonia and Latvia. Through this project, the number of creative practitioners in our region will increase. We already have skilled craftsmen and specialists, but there’s still a need for more quality products and services. By the project’s end, we expect to see more women entrepreneurs, making our region’s business landscape a bit more diverse.”
Project Partners: In Estonia, the mentor program is coordinated by the Ida-Viru Enterprise Center and the Ida-Viru Creative Cluster; the Latvian partner is the Vidzeme Entrepreneurship Centre.
The project activities are co-financed by the European Union, INTERREG Central Baltic program, project no. CB0500277, with support from the Ministry of Culture.
Contact: Kersti Liiva, Creative Industry Project Manager, email: kersti.liiva@ivek.ee , phone: +372 5158929
