Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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A panel discussion titled "Employment Opportunities in Creative and Cultural Industries" has been held as part of OIC Cultural Festival: Baku Creative Week – 2025, Azernews reports. The event focused on how rich creative ideas can be transformed into successful and sustainable professional careers.

The panel session aimed to explore ways for creative individuals to convert their talents into market value, adapt them to professional business models, and address the challenges encountered along the way.

The discussion brought together local and international speakers who have achieved success in fields such as fashion, design, jewelry, craftsmanship, and social entrepreneurship. They shared stories of how successful brands emerged from the fusion of creative vision and entrepreneurial thinking.

Founder of "Azerbaijani Socks", Teresa Hamlin, emphasized that her brand’s mission is to lovingly introduce traditional Azerbaijani craftsmanship to the world. During her travels across regions, she collects and documents unique sock patterns specific to each area, noting that every region has its own “signature.” Unlike carpets, socks wear out quickly and are discarded, leading to the loss of these distinctive designs. Preserving these patterns, she stressed, is the core of her work.

Rasmina Gurbatova, founder of Resm Jewelry, shared that after a decade of experience at the World Bank in communications, corporate governance, and financial infrastructure, she decided to enter the creative industry not through a pre-planned strategy but driven primarily by passion. She noted that the brand’s successful launch was largely due to her expertise in business, marketing, and communications, combined organically with creative thinking.

Bilal Hassam, founding director of Muslim Agency, also recounted his personal journey, briefly describing his transition from medicine to the creative industries. He explained that research into the role of culture, establishing his own company, family travels, and a return to art ultimately led him to the creative projects he presents today—one of which was showcased at the exhibition.

At the conclusion of the panel, Atelier Azure founder Turkan Mammadova and Agahuseyn Ahmadov, head of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA),highlighted that the combination of creative potential, entrepreneurial vision, and systematic state support has created a favorable environment in Azerbaijan for the growth of cultural and creative industries, as well as innovative startups.

The discussion placed particular emphasis on several key themes. It explored the path from creativity to profitable business, including how ideas are brought to market, how initial resources are managed, and how branding strategies are developed.

Attention was also given to the role of women entrepreneurs, highlighting both their contributions to the growth of the creative sector and the social and economic challenges they face in building their own brands. Another focus was on value-based business models, emphasizing the importance of establishing creative enterprises on Islamic values and principles of social responsibility.

The panel further examined the global outreach of local brands, stressing the promotion of "Made in Azerbaijan" products on the international stage and the need to enhance export potential.

Finally, participants discussed innovation and the labor market, considering the prospects for creative industries to become one of the future career directions within the employment ecosystem of ICO member states.