A conference on the creative industries was held at the Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry

On March 3, the Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted the opening conference of the Creative Industry Competence Program, which focused on development opportunities for creative enterprises in Hungary and the South Transdanubia region, competency development, and the competitive advantages inherent in collaboration. The event marked the launch of a one-year initiative implemented under the Business Environment Development Program, supported by the Ministry of National Economy.

According to the organizers, the Hungarian creative industry faces both significant opportunities and real challenges: technological advancements and globalization are opening up new horizons, while small and medium-sized enterprises must also contend with financing difficulties, talent retention issues, and market positioning dilemmas. The conference aimed to provide professional responses to this situation and to create a community space for knowledge sharing where players in the creative sector can find practical guidance.

The program focused on issues that will be particularly significant in the creative industries in 2026. Conference topics included financing in the creative industries, the role of AI and digitalization in creative work, entrepreneurial resilience, and ecosystem building based on collaboration. The event’s format was designed to support this goal: keynote speeches, panel discussions, professional sessions, networking breaks, and a group lunch facilitated knowledge exchange and the building of business relationships.

Speakers included Szabolcs Rabb, Secretary General of PBKIK; János Keresnyei, President of the Creative Industries Cluster and business mentor; Dóra Egry, Executive Director of the Baranya County Development Agency; Ernő Urbán, Managing Director of ERLA Film; Levente Morvai, Managing Director of Charter Informatika; and Enikő Schmidt, representative of the creative industries sector group of the Enterprise Europe Network.

The message of the conference was clear: the development of the creative industries is no longer merely a cultural or artistic issue, but also a matter of economic development. Creativity, technological adaptability, an innovative mindset, and professional collaboration are competencies that can determine the competitiveness of businesses in the long term. The opening conference was therefore not only the start of a series of events but also a meeting point for the creative sector, business actors, and development institutions.