International collaborations and projects across Europe

Capital Connections
In 2023, Chrissie was closely engaged with Eleusis as European Capital of Culture, working across two connected strands. The first was Capital Connections (Mystery 58), a comprehensive mentoring and capacity-building programme linking the contemporary arts scene in Greece with that in Europe, run in partnership with the international network On the Move and Busart.

The programme worked with 15 Greek artists and organisations selected through an open call to take part in an annual mentoring process tailored to each participant's needs, addressing topics including tours and promotion strategies abroad, collaborations within EU-funded long-term projects, opportunities for interconnection through European cultural networks, and ethical questions around international collaboration and green mobility.

SPARK#2 & FRESH 2023
The second strand was her involvement with Circostrada, the European network for circus and outdoor arts, through SPARK#2, the cross-sectoral laboratory held in Elefsina that brought together artists, architects, and cultural professionals from across Europe to explore placemaking through performing arts, a two-day interdisciplinary lab bringing together a selected group of participants from different backgrounds and disciplines to focus on this specific topic.

She also facilitated a roundtable during FRESH 2023, gathering panelists to explore the importance of creating and maintaining safe creative spaces in order to regenerate the performing arts sector, particularly circus and arts in public space.

Publication
Building on this groundwork, Chrissie went on to co-author the resulting publication, The Role of Outdoor Arts in Creative Placemaking, conceived and written together with Ariane Bieou, with coordination and editing by Circostrada — a guide that offers practical tips, case studies, and insights from experts across Europe to demonstrate the potential of outdoor arts to foster community engagement, enhance public spaces, and contribute to sustainable urban and rural development.

Read the publication →

Client feedback
"Chrissie is one of the best facilitators On the Move has been working with, part of meetings or close-door working group sessions in a European or international context. Chrissie has both a great knowledge of European policies and a very sensitive understanding of what it means to work internationally, both at a professional and human level. Such qualities are also very appreciated by the participants of the events we (co-)organise."

Marie Le Sourd
Secretary General
On the Move (Belgium)

Background
The starting point for the innovation platform Future by Lund was an idea to open up the city to the innovation power of different stakeholder groups and companies, to try new ways of working, and to promote Lund's smart and sustainable urban development.

At the same time, Vinnova launched a call for "Innovation Platforms for Smart Sustainable Cities," and Lund became one of six Swedish cities to be granted support, with the Municipality of Lund as principal.

The Platform
Future by Lund is a catalyst that works to find thematic cross-connections between different organisations and areas of expertise at an early stage of the innovation process, taking part in co-creating new content within the ecosystem and the innovation district.

It supports actors innovating together: by connecting environments and actors, it creates synergies while supporting a more complex transformation with multidisciplinary needs. This open, ecosystem-based innovation takes place in an area where no single actor has a mandate on its own — they need to act together.

Chrissie's Contribution
Chrissie was enlisted to assist and support the strategic development, financing strategy and capacity-building of Future by Lund's partners, working with both the municipality and the private entities forming the consortium behind the organisation.

She helped lay the groundwork for how the platform's diverse stakeholders — public and private alike — could organise themselves and sustain the initiative going forward.

Client feedback
"I have had the privilege of working with Chrissie in different situations and constellations, which has always yielded results but has also, most importantly, been fun! Humor, broad and deep expertise, and the ability to go that extra mile make it easy to give a recommendation."

Katarina Scott
Co-founder & CFO
Future by Lund (Sweden)