Innovative alliances and strong commitments are the key aspects in order to further develop a cultural Europe based on creativity and participation. The fifth edition of the FestFlash on Creativity and Innovation highlights: • the International Festival Wratislavia Cantans, one of the first partners of the FestLab for Creativity and Innovation is looking for innovative alliances; • the latest meeting in the framework of the FestLab for Creativity and Innovation in Linz provided the grounds for new alliances by bringing together the directors of Europe’s major festivals; • the European House for Culture, officially presented to the public on 27 September 2009, offers a platform for cultural networks to develop innovative partnerships. All this in the strong belief that Europe is first and foremost a cultural project and that culture must play a vital role in shaping the overall development of Europe: The European Festivals Association remains committed! Further highlights of creative and innovative projects of festivals in this FestFlash edition: Gaudeamus Prize 2009, Brucknerfest Linz, international literature festival Berlin, Emilia Romagna Festival, and the European Week of Festivals of Italiafestival. Find out more! The FestLab for Creativity and Innovation is an initiative of the European Festivals Association launched at the occasion of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation. It is established to spotlight the excellence of festivals in the creative and societal process and to give incentives to successfully fulfill the festivals’ core mission which still is the artistic one. EFA invites all arts festivals to sign up to the initiative “FestLab for Creativity and Innovation” and commit to its objective. Read the Open Call here. Download the FestFlash on Creativity and Innovation No 5/2009 here. Keep an eye on the FestFlash that is distributed widely – it is also featured on the EFA FestLab website! To receive the FestFlash by e-mail, write to Juliane@efa-aef.eu .