In the current economic crisis it is essential to unleash intrinsic economic potentials. Creative industries which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property (UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport) are decisive in advancing towards the knowledge-based economy. They comprise advertising, architecture, crafts, design, film, photography, broadcasting, software/ games, (electronic) publishing, music, visual and performing arts. The challenges for creative industry actors are high (low capital endowment, poor networking, low external visibility). Especially medium-sized cities need to enhance capacities to identify and develop the sectors potentials. That goes hand in hand with a lack of transnational comparable data on the impact of creative industries for economic growth. At the same time a lobby for creative industry needs to be strengthened.CREATIVE URBAN POLES objective is to create and apply good practices in the public sector to promote creative industries as growing economic sector and basis for innovations in the strife for the knowledge-based economy: to improve framework conditions and to initialise transnational creative industry clusters, to promote entrepreneurial skills and competitiveness of creative industries, to improve their external visibility through transnational marketing and networking, and to exploit potentials in the development of decayed urban areas through the allocation of creative industries in those districts. Furthermore, the consortium aims to provide valuable input to future policies (new generation of Operational Programmes) and well-structured knowledge management to allow other cities to replicate successful approaches. Transnational cooperation between five comparable cities and capitalising from interregional projects allows implementing good practices that are widely disseminated.The partnership combines decision-making power to maintain project results with relevant expert knowledge from scientific partners. Joint activities include in that order a comparable SWOT analysis, the elaboration of a Transnational Concept, its concerted transnational implementation (realisation of coaching, mentoring, marketing, networking and location development measures) and actions to secure the durability of results (Charta, business plans for Coaching Centres). Outputs are subject to scientific monitoring and feedback from Cluster Work Groups before being integrated in a blended e-learning tool that invites other cities to copy the approaches. Transnational clusters established on enterprise-level, increased market capacities, and innovative solutions with creative industries as motors of urban development, all based on a comparative SWOT analysis and a Transnational Concept are core results. Achievements: After generation of a basis by collecting data on the status-quo of CCI PPs were working continuously to create&apply good practices in the public sector to promote CCI as growing economic sector&basis for innovations in the strife for the knowledge-based economy.In order to achieve practice based outputs all activities were implemented by involvement of actors working in CCI.As a result a set of instruments to promote the valorization of creativity were developed.As a first step plans,studies&concepts were elaborated.MARKETING COMMUNICATION&EVENTPLANS/CONCEPTS outline tailored promotional activities to increase creative industries market potentials&to market business location.As a long term impact all materials are able to provide guidance for other CCI representatives&projects.Training opportunities&learning tools were prepared-COACHING&MENTORING ACTIVITIES-helped participants to evaluate their business,support them on management&improve quality of their work.Aim was to include ext expertise to get fresh ideas&increase skills of entrepreneurs&to strengthen competitiveness.Users/ beneficiaries are representatives of CCI as owners,managers of small companies,private individuals.BUSINESS PLANS 4 COACHING CENTER were established as part of transnational network to continue coaching&training beyond UCP lifetime.UCP generated knowledge regarding CCIfostering&promotion.To assure implementation a 6 chapter E-LEARNING tool has been developed incl.descriptions of solutions used in UCP.Focus was on carrying out the pilot action.PRE-INVESTMENT CONCEPTS were elaborated to lever additional financing for investments that promote the localisation of CCI in vacant former functional buildings.PILOT PROJ INVESTM were carried out.PPs developed&tested innovative approaches of urban renewal where potentials of CCI used for a city area's development.In the second phase promotion&networking activities started.To support visibility&to link entrepreneurs Europe-wide a webpage including WEB-BASED COMPANYDATA-BASE was set up.Entrepreneurs are encouraged to list their company&find a project partner.For networking&exchange reasons an AMBASSADOR MODEL was implemented.Idea was to encourage mentors from successful local companies to support start-ups to improve their business skills&to engage in business-to-business partnerships.To follow up the aim to increase visibility of CCI&to support local initiatives,ideas&events which are set up by CCIentrepreneurs-FLAGSHIP PROJECTS were carried out&promoted.ROAD SHOWS were realized with entrepreneurs from all PP cities where they could present their products.UCP-GUIDELINE aims to pass on UCPrelated knowledge&experience to other medium-sized cities.At any time politically representatives&municipalities were involved in activities,informed about results&invited to events.To declare their intention to support the development of the CCI beyond the project lifetime the UCP-Charta was signed at the Final Conf by Mayors of all 5 cities.