This is what March looked like at the Cluster

There are months when you get the feeling that everything has sped up. March was exactly like that for us — not just because of the spring atmosphere, but also due to the work we accomplished, the meetings with both new and long-standing partners, and the projects we’ve recently launched.

One of the defining characteristics of Cluster’s work—something that may be difficult to perceive from the outside—is that it operates simultaneously at multiple speeds and on multiple levels. March was perhaps the best example for this.

From Vinkovci through Sfântu Gheorghe to Szeged.

On March 11, while one half of the team attended the KLENEN conference in Szeged as part of the DRWO4.0 project, the other half represented the Klaszter at the same time in Vinkovci, Croatia, together with wood industry professionals, researchers, and partner organizations. Two locations simultaneously, but the same project.

On March 16, the entire team traveled together on a study trip to Transylvania: a useful and enjoyable experience within the framework of an unconventional journey. Among other things, we gained insight into how our fellow Hungarians in Romania live and work in Sfântu Gheorghe and across the beautiful regions of Transylvania. It was not only the Seclar hospitality and the tangible sense of history that captivated us, but also the dedication and admirable work ethic we experienced over those two days. In one sentence: a source of inspiration for the entire team.

Creativity and culture can be found every field.

Simultaneity and diversity are not a matter of chance, but the result of deliberate strategic decisions. We currently run four active projects in parallel—each with different consortium compositions, partners, and thematic focuses. For example, DRWO4.0 focuses on the digital transition of the wood industry, while CREMEL2.0 develops AI tool usage among creative professionals, and C3-WELL explores the relationship between the cultural sector and mental health. Our newest project, the Creative Industry Competence Program, aims to strengthen the business skills of creative industry SMEs, with the support of the Ministry for National Economy.

Placed side by side, these projects may seem quite different at first glance. And to some extent, that’s true—but this diversity stems precisely from the nature of creativity and culture. The cultural and creative sector does not recognize strict industry boundaries.

Our C3-WELL project is perhaps the best example of this: at first glance, the combination of mental health and creative industry work may seem unusual, but for us, the points of intersection are already clear. Both fields are rooted in human creativity, community, and the question of sustainable operation.

The network is a hidden asset—don’t underestimate it!

Relationships are not built overnight. Our partner organizations from Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Spain, and Italy—to name just a few—no longer sit down at the table as strangers. They know who they can trust, how each other works, and what they can rely on from one another. This is the kind of capital that cannot be acquired instantly; it can only be built over time.

In March, it truly became clear how much this kind of capital is worth in practice. During this period, there was a distinct sense of spring momentum—not to be confused with euphoria, but rather a subtle energy that quietly begins to move people and processes.

April will be different again—on April 10, as part of the C3-WELL project, we will host a workshop in Ipolytölgyes, where our goal is to introduce three different art therapy methods to creative industry professionals and social workers. March has come to an end, and we feel that everything unfolded exactly as it was meant to.

The work of a cluster is rarely spectacular. There isn’t a single large project that defines everything, but rather many parallel threads running in different directions, all woven from the same human network. Diversity—in themes, partners, and geography—is not fragmentation, but precisely the mode of operation through which a nonprofit network organization can create real value.

We would like to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to everyone who has been part of the life of the Cluster in any way over the past period!