Sixty-nine out of 90 projects that applied at the contest for funding creative industries projects will be supported this year by the Ministry of Culture.

Pinpointing the creative industries as well as identifying the economic production and profitable dimension of culture was one of the priorities of the Ministry of Culture which was drafted in the National Strategy for Development of Culture for the period 2013-2017, Culture Minister Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska told Friday’s press briefing.

This stimulating measure which has been realized over the past five years at the contest gave great results and offered wide space for presentation of skills, imagination and talent of young creative people in the country.

This year, ninety individuals, civil society organisations and other legal entities including associations whose projects are intended for persons with disabilities have applied at the contest.

The Commission selected 69 projects in the sphere of graphic, industrial and fashion design and projects for product design to be provided with the funds, Kanceska-Milevska said adding that these are projects in which traditional skills and resources are used and new and modern contexts are created.

Including today's results the total number of supported projects in these five years is 283 for which Ministry of Culture allocated MKD 25.5 million, Kanceska-Milevska added.

Referring to the realised educational events, training and forums, as well as visits by many experts, including the British Council, she pointed out the opening of the Center for Design and Innovation "Public room.”

Commission’s Chairman Mitko Hadzi Pulja referred to the multi-dimensionality of this project highlighting the economic, sociological and cultural aspects. Aimed at encouraging further development of creative industries, he deemed that education of citizens and young people is necessary for creation of new products, not only in Skopje, but also in entire country.

Supported projects including the works that will be created, are to be presented at the exhibition organised at year-end.