CURE develops innovative solutions to the question of how the creative economy can play an active role in urban renewal processes in medium-sized cities in NWE. In contrast to bigger cities and metropoles with growing development conditions. where the market mainly pushes the development of creative urban quarters. the development of creative zones in medium-sized cities has to be pushed by local authorities and other local players. An active intervention of key stakeholders in the form of an integrated approach is needed. Creative Urban Renewal (CURE) aims to facilitate triggered allocation of the creative economy in decayed urban areas in medium-sized cities in Northwest-Europe. The strengthening of the creative sector. the design of supportive networks for creative entrepreneurs and the provision of appropriate space and buildings will lead to revitalised urban quarters (creative zones) with a new identity and strong and prosperous communities in medium-sized cities in NWE. Drawing upon what we have learned from different Creative Zones. CURE together with the Faculty of Art and Economics of the Utrecht School of the Arts is developing the Creative Zone Innovator (CZI) to plan and to develop creative zones. Crucial in the approach of the Creative Zone Innovator is the conviction that. in order to find and implement innovative solutions to accelerate the development of sustainable entrepreneurship within Creative Zones. it is necessary to go beyond the conventional economical delineation and division of roles. The CZI takes a highly integrated approach to urban. economic. cultural. social and entrepreneurial development Achievements: Partners cooperated transnationally in order to:• Refine the conceptual framework Creative Zone Innovator (CZI) into a transnational creative model• Test the transnational creative model CZI by designing a flexible framework for creative businesses in a networked environment and by supporting individual initiatives from the creative economy• Increase the number of creative businesses in the regions• Improve links between the creative economy and classic industries across NWE• Allocate ‘culturepreneurs’ from the creative economy in decayed urban areas via a strategy that builds on a new integrated approach of urban and cultural planning, economic development, real estate management and the creative economy• Disseminate the concept of Creative Zones and the Toolbox ‘Creative Zone Innovator Index’ by establishing a brand and a NWE-wide network of Creative Zones as well as by delivering training and support for other medium-sized cities in NWE