CFPs: Strengthening Digital Capacity for Cultural and Creative Entrepreneurs in Mekong Cluster

UNESCO Bangkok with support from the Korea Funds-in-Trust (KFIT) is conducting the ‘Digital Creative Lab’ initiative. This aims to support developing countries in addressing digital skills shortages in the cultural and creative industries. The initiative will establish training programmes that strengthen the digital skills and competencies of the cultural and creative sectors in developing countries, with a view to enabling their full participation in the ongoing changes to the cultural value chain.

This project responds to problems within the sector by conducting a digital skills mapping, identifying shortages, and developing and providing training programmes to fill capacity gaps. The project also will raise awareness about the importance of linking digital technologies with culture and creative industries, leading toward recommendations for needed policy changes. This will ultimately provide opportunities where people from the creative industries can bring much-needed critical reflection, ingenuity and empathy to some of the most complex problems facing the world today in an enabling digital environment.

The project will assist the Member States to “strengthen the level of digital competencies of the cultural sector and the general public, and to promote know-how and skills needed to fully participate in the ongoing changes to the creation, production, distribution, dissemination and access to diverse cultural expressions in the digital environment”, as stipulated in the Operational Guidelines of the 2005 Convention.

• An understanding generated on the skills shortage in areas related to digital technology among the creative practitioners in Mekong cluster countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam);
• A framework developed of digital skills required for the creative sector;
• Capacity of creative practitioners strengthened through access to a digital skills course; and
• Awareness on the connection between digital technologies, culture and creativity raised among the public.

Tasks

• The contractor is requested to carry out the following tasks:
  • Project replication and advocacy: replicate the success of the UNESCO-KFIT Digital Creative Lab project Phase I winner – endangered animals to do in Thailand taking an endangered animal(s) in any World Heritage Sites in Thailand to be modelled and active in the XR (extended reality) and advocacy information about such animal by utilizing an endangered species as a model for XR development and create advocacy materials highlighting conservation efforts.
  • Partnership and Fundraising model: Search for local partner(s) who have a crowdfunding platform with effective financial system as well as who can organize a campaign for funds raising for the endangered animal(s) for pilot testing in order to channel the funds through appropriate NGOs or CSOs who work directly for such animal conservation.
  • Innovative Exhibition for Awareness Raising: Plan and execute an innovative exhibition on site (in physical) with the topic of using high innovative technology on XR to create an exhibition which aimed at engaging a minimum of 2,000 actual visitors. The exhibition should focus on raising awareness and advocacy for the conservation of the endangered animal(s). Innovative engagements strategies should be employed to ensure high visitor turnout and interaction. The exhibition venue for opened exhibition, social media campaign and videos are to be produced by the contractor. The record of the participants will be kept and reported to UNESCO by the contractor.

Deliverables and Timeframe 

• By 15 March 2024, the contractor will submit Project Plan, the detailed outline for the replication of the Phase I success story, including the choice of the endangered animal, XR development plan and advocacy content
• By 31 March 2024, the contractor will submit 1) documentation of selected local partner(s), along with a comprehensive plan for the crowdfunding campaign, including financial management and fund disbursement strategy and 2) exhibition plan including venue, layout, engagement activities, and expected outcomes
• By 15 April 2024, the contractor will submit the final comprehensive reports of the exhibition including media coverage, photos, number of registrants and all materials related detailing project execution, outcomes, visitor engagement statistics and a review of the project’s impact on digital skills awareness and endangered animal conservation.

Eligibility Criteria

• Minimum 10 years of experience in Digital Creative sector
• Be familiar with the UNESCO 2005 Convention on Protection and Promotion of Diversity of Cultural Expressions
• Creative tech or digital-driven organizations or companies legally registered and/or with license
• Creative tech or digital-driven organizations or companies with international experiences and renown digital experiences
• Creative tech or digital-driven organizations or companies must have experiences working in one of the Mekong cluster countries
• Desirable qualification 
  • Creative tech or digital companies or organizations with decent records of working with UN agencies or development partners with proven records of financial management.

For more information, visit UNESCO.