Focal areas that Smart Cities try to overcome are the reduction of pollution, traffic, or crime, and the introduction of models for public data. However, it is SPECIFI's guiding principle that Smart Cities need to go beyond upgrades related to control tasks and public data. They can only become a success if they also become Smart Creative Cities, by employing open, Future Internet infrastructures to become thriving centres of arts, media and leisure. Creative Industries can create wealth through the generation and exploitation of IP, and include advertising, design, film and video, music, performing arts, printing, etc.Creative Industries lie at the crossroads between the arts, business and technology, making them a source of competitive advantage, not the product of wealth but the origin of it. The issue tackled by SPECIFI is to capitalize on the cultural and creative richness and diversity of European cities, while overcoming some of their key weaknesses, i.e. fragmentation and isolation. The promise of employing open Future Internet platforms and infrastructures in a smart, citizen-centred way, is to forge creative links between citizens, administrations and Creative Industry SMEs, between cities and their larger region, and between cities across Europe.SPECIFI will demonstrate the positive impacts of a European Creative Ring of Smart Cities and Regions, with real-life Future Internet (Fiber-to-the-Home and wireless) infrastructures, with real-life users and producers, and in 5 real (certified) Living Labs active in 3 smart cities and their surrounding regions.SPECIFI will demonstrate how cities can overcome technological limitations, geographical limitations and lack of sustainable business models. Hereby, they can become Connected Creative Cities through open Future Internet platforms and linking cities' "Super-Creative Core" with other cities' Cores and with the broader region surrounding them.