City Case Description: Košice & Cultural Heritage Organisations as Innovation Catalysts

How does “prototyping” work?

This City Case Description is the outcome of a policy prototyping exercise within a city ecosystem.
Once the ekip research team has explored a policy area and its connection to cultural and creative
industries (CCIs) and innovation, we ask: what would this mean in a local city context?

Together with local stakeholders, we test how a draft policy recommendation might stimulate innovation. Using Portfolio Sensemaking, stakeholders simulate an innovation portfolio, analyse the strengths and gaps of the local support system, and identify what resources are needed to realise the portfolio.

Košice Context & Area of Focus

Košice is a regional cultural hub in eastern Slovakia with a dense concentration of museums, galleries, libraries, and heritage institutions, supported by universities, creative professionals, and an active tourism sector.

While the city and region benefit from strong cultural assets and international networks, cultural heritage organisations operate under financial pressure, ageing infrastructure, and limited capacities in audience development, digitalisation, and cross-institutional cooperation.

At the same time, visitor expectations are changing toward more participatory, inclusive, and experiential forms of engagement, creating both pressure and opportunity for innovation.

The area of focus is innovation in cultural heritage organisations as catalysts for regional development, with an emphasis on strengthening relationships with visitors and communities. This includes visitor-centred services, participation and co-creation, inclusion and accessibility, and the use of digital and hybrid tools, combined with capacity building and stronger regional coordination. The aim is to transform heritage institutions from primarily custodial organisations into socially relevant, collaborative, and resilient actors that contribute to education, social cohesion, tourism, and the long-term attractiveness of the Košice region.