Handbook Cross Innovation in Practice: The Transformative Power of Cultural and Creative Industries

We are at a turning point where climate change, technological shifts and social fragmentation challenge how innovation is organised. Through the concept of Cross Innovation, the authors present a framework for collaboration between cultural and creative sectors, industry, research and the public sector. The handbook offers new perspectives on knowledge, co-creation and how innovation can better respond to complex societal challenges. Drawing on the practices of artists, designers and other creative professionals, it reveals how experimentation, making and working with uncertainty can drive meaningful change.

Elin Frost is an interdisciplinary artist and transformational leader working at the intersection of art, innovation and societal transformation. Her work focuses on cross-sector collaboration, cultural and creative industries, and the use of artistic and participatory methods to navigate complexity and drive systemic change. Combining more than 20 years of experience from the cultural sector with leadership in public innovation initiatives, she has led interdisciplinary collaborations across public sector, civil society and creative industries, including regional transformation projects connected to sustainability, innovation ecosystems and future-oriented societal development.

Jenny Kornmacher is a cross innovation pioneer, strategist and policy maker working at the intersection of culture, innovation and societal transformation. Since 2014, she has specialized in developing cross-innovation models that connect cultural and creative industries with other sectors to drive sustainable and systemic change. Combining extensive experience from public sector innovation and European collaboration, she has worked across municipal, regional and EU level in several European countries, developing strategies, support structures and pioneering initiatives focused on the role of culture and creativity for sustainable development.

Marlene Johansson (PhD) is a senior researcher at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden and affiliated researcher at Umeå University. Her work focuses on innovation systems, entrepreneurship and societal transformation, with particular expertise in cultural and creative industries, cross-innovation and systemic transformation. Combining academic research with more than 20 years of leadership in innovation ecosystems, she has led interdisciplinary initiatives across academia, the public sector and industry, including European collaborations linked to the New European Bauhaus and EIT Culture & Creativity.