Central Baltic Stories Episode 5: CreativeGPS 🎙

In this fifth episode of the Central Baltic Stories podcast, we turn the spotlight on the CreativeGPS project, launched in early 2024 to support creative professionals in Finland, Latvia, and Estonia. The project set out to address a pressing challenge: while creative workers are highly skilled and bring immense value to society, they often face fragmented careers, precarious job contracts, and limited income security.

Our guests, Krista Petäjäjärvi (Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture, Latvia) and Vilja Byström (Taku ry, Finland), share insights into the project’s background, implementation, and impact. Together with Tallinn Business Incubator, their organisations built a cross-border training programme and published an open-access CreativeGPS Workbook — both designed to help creative professionals strengthen their skills, navigate their careers more strategically, and build resilience in a rapidly changing job market.

Building skills and confidence across borders

The seven-week training programme combined webinars, in-person workshops, and a two-day international bootcamp in Tallinn. In total, 66 participants were selected from more than 180 applicants across the three partner countries. The majority were highly educated, yet many faced unemployment or job insecurity despite years of experience.

Through expert-led sessions, participants explored topics such as self-reflection, recognising and communicating their expertise, personal branding, and making effective use of social media. The programme also emphasised peer support and networking, offering a rare opportunity for creative professionals to connect with colleagues both nationally and internationally.

Feedback from participants highlighted the programme’s value:

“The training gave me peer support and confidence in my existing skills. Others saw strengths in me that I hadn’t fully recognised myself — it gave me a push toward new ideas and directions.”

The high commitment rate spoke volumes: 62 out of 66 participants completed the programme, earning a certificate of participation.

A practical tool: the CreativeGPS Workbook

One of the project’s key outputs was the CreativeGPS Workbook, published in four languages and freely available online. The Workbook distills the best lessons from the training into six core themes, each with explanations, exercises, checklists, and expert tips.

“We wanted the Workbook to be practical, creative, and visually inspiring — something people genuinely want to use,” says Petäjäjärvi.

Since its launch in summer 2024, the Workbook has been downloaded more than 1,300 times in Finland alone, with hundreds of professionals already integrating it into their career planning, teaching, and mentoring practices.

Lessons learned and looking ahead

Both guests reflected on the broader lessons of CreativeGPS. For Byström, the project demonstrated that supporting creative professionals doesn’t have to be complicated:

“Things fell into place because we had committed partners and a shared vision. We could quickly exchange ideas and create meaningful content that really served participants.”

For Petäjäjärvi, the experience reaffirmed the importance of focus:

“Small projects can have big impact when they are practical, well-targeted, and realistic about resources. It’s better to do less but do it with quality — that’s when results continue to resonate beyond the project itself.”

Looking ahead, the project partners see multiple opportunities to build on the model, from mentoring programmes to new spin-off initiatives. The CreativeGPS Workbook will remain openly accessible, ensuring the project’s results live on well beyond its official end.

The Central Baltic Stories podcast explores cross-border cooperation, innovation, and community-building in the Central Baltic region. Hosted by Anne Jylhä, the national Contact Point in Finland, each episode features inspiring stories, interviews, and insights from project partners, experts, and change-makers.

Would you like to share your or your project’s story in the podcast? Please contact Anne at anne.jylha@uudenmaanliitto.fi. Episodes are recorded in Finnish and English.