Conference Agenda

In the highly competitive global film market, directors must adapt more flexibly to the everchanging environment. The creative strategy of film directors, which involves the selection of film styles, scripts and actors, is essential for guiding them towards successful career development. Based on a large-scale dataset collected from IMDb, network science computational tools are used to identify and describe the consistent patterns and individual differences in directors’ creations at different stages of their careers. The intrinsic relationship between these individual differences and their success is further explored. The results show that the directors’ overall creative strategy tends to prioritize exploration over exploitation, and the permutation test confirms the reliability of the new findings. We also find that highly rated directors are significantly influenced by different regional cultures and must adopt unique creative strategies to achieve high ratings. Besides, highly productive directors and highly rated directors show opposite trends in collaboration patterns, highlighting the differences in collaboration patterns among different types of directors. Overall, this study provides a new understanding of the development of directors’ creativity and their behaviors in the pursuit of success.

The study explores how culture and cultural values shape social network structures. The data was collected online from 276 Uzbek students. Using social network analysis, correlational analysis and cross-tabulations, we identified patterns linking cultural orientations to network size, interaction frequency, and social influence.

The findings reveal that peers, education, and media significantly shape students’ social circles. Peer-driven networks encourage establishment of broader, more interactive connections, while those shaped by education or media often lead to more selective, close-knit ties. 31.2% of students influenced by peers formed networks of “10 or more people,” whereas those shaped by education (36.5%) or media (34.1%) reported having no significant network. Students who resonate with cultural norms usually engage more consistently within their networks, confirming the importance of shared values in building cohesive connections.

The study also highlights how culture and networks influence each other. Cultural norms not only determine how relationships form and evolve but they are also transmitted and reinforced through social interactions. This dynamic exchange between cultural identity and social ties shows how networks are built, maintained, and reshaped over time.

Ultimately, social networks are expressions of cultural identity. By showing how shared values and norms shape social ties, this study highlights the importance of incorporating cultural perspectives into social network analysis. Understanding this interplay offers deeper insights into how networks are created, maintained, and evolve within cultural contexts.

This chapter explores Timișoara's evolution as a European Capital of Culture and its ongoing transformation journey. The study examines how governance principles, trust-based networks, diversity, and inclusion facilitate ecosystem resilience and sustainability. In a mixed-methods research design, I use quantitative data from administrative records and Social Network Analysis (SNA) covering the years 2017 to 2024, alongside qualitative insights gathered from interviews and focus groups with more than 40 key stakeholders. The analysis explores the cultural networks at macro-, meso- and micro-level, highlighting the mechanisms at work that can support further policy, collaboration, and cultural engagement.

Results show that 2023 marked a significant growth in Timișoara's cultural ecosystem, characterized by a notable rise in projects, events, and inter-organisational partnerships that fostered a cohesive and inclusive envrionment. While the number of active organisations decreased in 2024, local participation strengthened, indicating a strategic pivot towards grassroots consolidation and regional resources. The transition from a centralised to a decentralised network from 2017 to 2024—strengthened by trust transfer and inclusive governance—proved vital for nurturing social cohesion and cultural innovation.

This research illustrates how decentralised, trust-based collaborations are essential for fostering resilient and sustainable cultural ecosystems. Although the analysis of the legacy is limited to data collected up to 2024, pinpointing mechanisms at work allows for the co-design of interventions that maximise the long-term impact of Timisoara ECoC. The analytical framework is relevant beyond the case of Timișoara and the policy domain of culture. It can be scaled and adapted to other urban settings and policy domains such as education, health or youth ecosystems.

Keywords: Timișoara, European Capital of Culture, Cultural Networks, Impact Evaluation, Feedforward Assets, Social Network Analysis, Mixed-Methods Research, Resilience, Sustainability

Beijing has long been the center of China's independent music ecosystem. However, uneven regional development and the household registration system (hukou), which ties access to social resources to one’s registered place of residence, shape musical practices within the scene, where Beijing locals hold a relatively distinct advantage nationwide. This research investigates the role of regional identity in shaping collaborative networks among artists and support personnel in Beijing through a case study of BADHEAD, a sub-label under Modern Sky, one of China’s most influential music companies. BADHEAD has been instrumental in promoting rock-infused alternative music since 1999. By examining the collaborative networks formed by all artists and support personnel involved in BADHEAD’s album productions from 1999 to 2023, this research explores how regional identity influences the formation and dynamics of these networks.

Using a mixed-methods approach, this study constructs a relational database from the credits of albums released by BADHEAD during this period. Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) are employed to model the networks. The study also incorporates archival materials on the history of Chinese music and interviews with participants. This research examines whether the collaborative networks evolve to exhibit a “local–nonlocal” divide over time and whether nonlocal musicians rely more on institutional support compared to their local counterparts.

This research sheds light on how structural inequalities embedded in regional identity intersect with music production, contributing to a further understanding of the interplay between social institutions and artistic collaboration in creative industries.