The South-West Regional Hub of EIT Culture & Creativity, located in Barcelona, supports the growth, connection, and innovation of creative and cultural professionals in Spain, Portugal, and Southern France.
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Our operations are based at Barcelona XRLAB Palo Alto, an innovation center connecting technology, culture, and industry at the heart of Catalonia's creative ecosystem. The XRLAB embodies our collaborative, cross-sectoral approach, offering a dynamic platform for driving research, innovation, and creative partnerships across Southern Europe.
Our regional ambitions
The South-West European region, encompassing dynamic cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Porto, Avignon, and Marseille, is a vibrant hub where design and technology converge. This fosters strong connections, international recognition, amplified by world-class events such as the Cannes Film Festival, the San Sebastian Film Festival, or the Lisbon’s Contemporary Art Fair. These elements position the South-West as a prime candidate to become a European center for creativity, transformation, and sustained growth. Our focus areas include audiovisual & media, and fashion, with additional support for architecture, gaming, and cultural heritage, all aimed at cultivating a more connected resilient regional network.
Region
Key sectors
Audio-visual media
AI, cloud computing, data privacy, digital ownership
Fashion
Circular fashion, sustainable supply chains
Architecture
Climate-adaptive, circular, socially responsible design
Our team
Our Hub is led by Director Fabio Palma, who spearheads regional strategy and partnerships. Judit Batayé, Ecosystem & Business Development Manager, is responsible for enabling collaboration with impact by connecting clusters, start-ups, and institutions. Juan Palacios, PMO & Office Manager, ensures the efficiency of our operations by coordinating all project activities.
Collaboration is our greatest asset. Across Spain, Portugal or the South of France, we are building bridges between creators, researchers and entrepreneurs to grow a shared ecosystem where cultural innovative advancements go hand in hand. EIT Culture & Creativity will unlock new European avenues for the development of creative knowledge and insights.
FABIO PALMA, SOUTH-WEST REGIONAL HUB DIRECTOR
Article type
Events
Public architects to convene around shared challenges at UIA2026 in Barcelona
