EuraCreative: the metamorphosis of a territory dedicated to cultural and creative industries
The Plaine Images district in Roubaix/Tourcoing is seeing the birth of EuraCreative , an ambitious initiative which aims to position the European Metropolis of Lille and the Hauts-de-France Region as a leading territory for Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI).
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The celebration on July 10, 2025, marked the first official milestone in this dynamic, during which EuraCreative was finally unveiled to over 350 guests. Led by CEO Emmanuel Delamarre, our partners shared their insights. Bernard Haesebroeck, Olivier Candelier, Frédéric Minard, and Matthieu Corbillon shared their vision for this new venture. This entity embodies a collective ambition to make the Hauts-de-France region, a creative territory, a major player in the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) in Europe and internationally.
Birth of a major player in the cultural industries
A clear ambition
EuraCreative embodies a clear and deliberate ambition: to sustainably position the European Metropolis of Lille and the Hauts-de-France region as a leading territory in the Cultural and Creative Industries at the European and global level. This strategic vision is based on five complementary business verticals that form the core of its creative ecosystem.
From video games to tech music, including audiovisual media, design, and live performance production, these sectors don't operate in silos but interact, intersect, and mutually enrich each other. This creative and innovative hybridization is EuraCreative's distinctive strength in the national and international cultural and creative industries landscape.
“Today, with the birth of EuraCreative, we are taking a new step in our ambition: to make our region a true catalyst for cultural and creative industries. We wanted this hub to reflect the image of the metropolis: bold, open, deeply rooted in the industrial and cultural history of our region, but resolutely focused on the future.”
Damien Castelain, President of the European Metropolis of Lille
When research, training and industry join forces
The creation of EuraCreative as a Public Interest Group brings together a collective of key players in the region around its shared ambition. This structure unites higher education and research institutions such as the University of Lille and the Catholic Institute of Lille , representatives from the professional world like Game In , Noranim and Pictanovo , as well as innovation stakeholders like the CITC .
This unique synergy makes it possible to build bridges between the sometimes compartmentalized worlds of research, education, and industry. Emmanuel Delamarre, CEO of EuraCreative, perfectly summarizes this ambition:
"This is an extraordinary opportunity to bring together the worlds of economics, education, and research around a common goal: the development, innovation, and promotion of the cultural and creative industries and our region."
Other members will join this collective dynamic by the end of the year, demonstrating the attractiveness of the model and its ability to unite stakeholders around a shared vision.
EuraCreative at the heart of a sector that matters
A rapidly expanding creative ecosystem
The creation of EuraCreative in the Plaine Images creative district is taking place within an economic context favorable to the Cultural and Creative Industries. In France, this sector represents nearly €92 billion in revenue, an economic weight close to that of the agri-food industry and twice that of the automotive industry.
This recognition has translated politically into the inclusion of the CCIs in the France 2030 investment plan, which since 2022 has positioned this sector as an economic priority on par with nuclear power, hydrogen or electric vehicles.
From the late 2010s, the European Metropolis of Lille and the Hauts-de-France Region positioned themselves as true pioneers in this sector. This forward-thinking vision is now bearing fruit with: more than 700 companies in the EuraCreative ecosystem in the Lille metropolitan area, 6,000 jobs, and 3,500 students in prestigious international schools.
Regional leaders attest to this success: Nacon , Ankama , 52 Entertainment , Alive , Karafun , MusicStory and Petit Bambou illustrate the diversity and quality of the creative ecosystem in Hauts-de-France.
A comprehensive range of services for entrepreneurs
EuraCreative, based in the Plaine Images district, deploys a service offering structured around five strategic pillars, designed to support creative entrepreneurs at every stage of their business development.
The Business pillar supports projects from business creation to conquering international markets, including connecting them with clients. This comprehensive approach allows entrepreneurs to benefit from tailored support adapted to their specific needs.
The Innovation component highlights the synergies between research and the creative industry, from technology monitoring to the concrete implementation of innovations. This dimension allows companies to remain at the forefront of technological and creative developments.
The Finance module facilitates access to financing, from financing productions in permanent connection with Pictanovo, to financing business growth through a network of dedicated financial partners.
The Talent pillar addresses the crucial challenges of training, recruitment, and skills development in a sector where the battle for talent is decisive. EuraCreative offers a comprehensive HR solution including job boards, partnerships with schools, and support for executives.
Finally, the Infrastructure axis provides modular workspaces, studios, technical equipment, collaborative and event spaces, catering and network, creating an optimal environment for the development of entrepreneurial projects.
A strategy for territorial expansion
From Plaine Images, a creative district steeped in history…
It is from the Plaine Mages site of excellence that EuraCreative works daily to develop business and innovation for companies in the Cultural and Creative Industries ecosystem in the MEL, in the region and far beyond.
The history of EuraCreative is naturally rooted in that of the creative district of Plaine Images and its remarkable industrial heritage.
As early as the 19th century, the textile industry in Hauts-de-France was already drawing on creativity through pattern design and the use of Jacquard looms. This tradition of creative innovation found new expression after the textile decline of the 1950s.
The region's creative renaissance truly began in 2007 with the arrival of Le Fresnoy – National Studio of Contemporary Arts, Pictanovo, and Ankama at the site of the former textile factory. These pioneers laid the foundations of an ecosystem that would continue to grow. The Hauts-de-France region also has a pioneering spirit in the audiovisual sector, with regional ambitions dating back to the 1950s. In 1953, Lille participated in the first Eurovision broadcast.
Today, this vibrant district, recognized by industry professionals, brings together an impressive community: the EuraCreative team and more than 150 companies in the sector, 50 entrepreneurial projects within its incubator, 3 international schools and several research centers, representing approximately 2000 people who work, undertake, study and innovate daily on this unique site.
…to the international reach of cultural and creative industries.
From its inception, EuraCreative has asserted its resolutely international dimension. Its international connections attest to this ambition: an active partnership with Canada through the ZÙ incubator, and privileged relationships with Belgium, the United Kingdom, Morocco, Tunisia, Colombia, and South Africa. These collaborations allow EuraCreative to demonstrate its expertise and its capacity to export innovative models within the sector.
This expansion strategy also relies on flagship events supported by the European Metropolis of Lille, which have an impact far beyond our regional borders.
List of unmissable events in the cultural and creative industries in Hauts-de-France
| Event Name | Period | Organizer |
|---|---|---|
| PIX | April/May | EuraCreative |
| Series Mania Festival | March | Series Mania |
| GameCamp | June | Game In North |
| Lillarious | January/February | Grégoire Furrer Productions |
The PIX festival , the professional festival for Cultural and Creative Industries, brings together more than 2500 visitors each year.
Series Mania Festival , Game Camp and Lillarious complete this event offering which makes the Lille metropolis an unmissable event in the sector, well beyond its territorial borders.
As stated by Matthieu Corbillon, President of EuraCreative:
"Our ambition is clear: to sustainably position the region at the forefront of cultural and creative industries (CCIs) at the European and global levels."
As you have understood, EuraCreative embodies a strengthened ambition, an amplified influence which reflects the strength of creative innovation of a territory which has been able to transform its industrial changes into creative opportunities for the entrepreneurs of today and tomorrow.
And frankly, we haven't finished surprising you yet!
FAQ
- What is EuraCreative?
EuraCreative is a new entity dedicated to the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI), established on July 10, 2025 at Plaine Images, Tourcoing. It aims to make the Hauts-de-France region a key European hub for the sector. - What are the five verticals of EuraCreative?
The five verticals of EuraCreative are video games, music tech, audiovisual, design, live entertainment production and large-scale events. - What are the strategic pillars of EuraCreative's service offering?
The strategic pillars of EuraCreative's service offering are: Business, Innovation, Finance, Talents and Infrastructure. - How do EuraCreative and Plaine Images coexist?
EuraCreative is the driving force behind the Cultural and Creative Industries sector. It comprises a team of around twenty people and relies on an ecosystem of over 700 companies, schools, research centers, and institutional partners. Plaine Images is the 50,000 m² creative district, located in the two municipalities of Roubaix and Tourcoing, where the EuraCreative team and part of its ecosystem (150 companies, 3 schools, a research center, and 2,000 students) are based.