The third edition of the CREA.CONNECT Hackathon brought together creative professionals, researchers, designers, and changemakers from across Europe in Brussels to explore how Third Places can strengthen social bonds through culture, creativity, and collaboration. Hosted by pali pali as part of the CREAConnect project, the programme was developed in collaboration with the consortium partners b.creative, LAMA, Friche la Belle de Mai, PAU, and Nova Iskra, while working closely with local organisations LaVallée, Communa, and 51N4E, which introduced participants to real-life challenges and the local context.
Over four intensive days, participants worked in interdisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions, exchange knowledge, and build meaningful connections across sectors and countries. More than a collaborative design sprint, the Hackathon offered an opportunity to engage with diverse perspectives, experiment with new approaches, and become part of a growing European community committed to creativity, collaboration, and social innovation.
Every participant experienced the Hackathon in a unique way. To reflect this diversity of perspectives, we invited two members of this year’s cohort to share their personal experiences. In the testimonials below, they reflect on the ideas they developed, the people they met, the challenges they embraced, and the lasting impact the programme had on their professional and creative journeys.
Originally from Morocco and currently based in Lyon, Youssef Atir is pursuing a degree in Cultural Project Management. Before joining the Hackathon, he had already been involved in the redevelopment of a third place in his hometown, transforming a former church into a community space.
Reflecting on his experience in Brussels, Youssef described the Hackathon as extremely valuable. One of the aspects he appreciated most was the opportunity to engage with a wide range of perspectives on the challenges facing third places. According to him, each participant brought a unique way of understanding the issues, leading to diverse approaches to both problem definition and solution-building.
He left Brussels inspired and full of new ideas, eager to further explore the concepts discussed during the Hackathon and integrate them into both his academic studies and his professional work.
Mariaelena Busani returned to CREAConnect Hackathon after being part of the winning team at the previous edition in Marseille, bringing with her both experience and enthusiasm for the programme.
While she greatly enjoyed the collaborative process and the overall Hackathon experience, what stood out most to her was the capacity-building and mentoring component. Coming from a background in education, she particularly valued the opportunity to learn from the mentors and highlighted the support and guidance she received from Nana and Kemi throughout the programme.
So meaningful was this experience that Mariaelena expressed her interest in joining the mentoring team for future editions of the Hackathon—a possibility that the organisers will consider for upcoming programmes.
Interested in the CREAConnect Hackathons? Visit the official CREAConnect website to discover previous editions, explore the project’s activities, and stay updated on future opportunities to take part.
Click HERE to explore more.
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