Time for (S) Heroes builds future hero stories and sustainable design

The four-year project started in October 2024 and has received funding from the European Union’s Creative Europe programme.

The project explores how heroism can be interpreted through fashion, art and technology while promoting a more sustainable future. Xamk is responsible for the coordination of the project and in particular for the development of digital and co-design aspects.

Creating new ways to make heroism visible together

The Time for (S) Heroes project highlights the importance of everyday life, community and environmental awareness in today’s heroism. It involves designers, artists, young people and creatives from all over Europe who act as (S) Heroes, i.e. heroes and role models in their field.

At the core of the project are the themes of sustainable development and circular economy. Design and art processes are built around zero waste principles, co-design and digital solutions in the fields of fashion, costume and installation art. The project will build a digital portal that supports the development of designers’ and artists’ skills, co-design and team building. Participants will also be offered mentoring from professionals in different fields.

The portal will remain in use even after the end of the project and the project results will be compiled into guidelines and good practices for the development of sustainable design, fashion and costume. The project website and digital portal will be launched in autumn 2025.

The project’s international team at the kick-off event at Xamk’s Meduusa Studio in Kouvola in March.

Practical work, workshops and international events

The initial phase of the project has focused on preparing future activities and building the digital portal. An Open Call will be published in the portal for participants, inviting multidisciplinary teams to interpret sustainable heroism through fashion, costume and installation art.

The journey of ideas generated in the digital portal will continue to the Design Wave festival in Latvia in 2026. Through co-design and mentoring, the teams selected for the competition will create, refine and present their own projects, which are rooted in heroism, participation and responsibility.

The next steps of the project include organizing art residencies in Barcelona, ​​Spain, and Ankkapurha, Finland, after which the best teams will also have the opportunity to develop their business skills by participating in the Business Incubation program. During the project, participants will have the opportunity to present their work both digitally and in onsite exhibition spaces.

In collaboration with a European network of experts

The project will be implemented together with organizations operating across Europe, which bring diverse expertise from the creative industries, technology, business and communications to the project. Through the collaboration, both expertise and international networks will be strengthened, and good practices will be shared to promote sustainable design, fashion, costume and art.

Project summary

Project name: Time for (S) Heroes – in fashion, costume design, and art installations for sustainable future, zero waste, digital processes and co-design.

Funder: Creative Europe / European Education and Culture Executive Agency

Project duration: 1.10.2024–30.9.2028

Total budget: EUR 1,425,788 (EU share of the total budget: €998,051)

Project administrator: South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, Xamk

Co-implementers: Espronceda – Institute of Art & Culture, Tallinn Creative Incubator (TCI), Latvian Technological Centre (LTC), The Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC)

Knowledge and objectives: Digital economy. Develop sustainable and digital design, strengthen entrepreneurship in the creative industries and increase awareness of ecological choices

This article has been originally published as part of the communication activities of the Boost up JTF project, co-funded by the Kymenlaakso Region and the EU.

Text: Päivi Savilaakso, Kymenlaakso Regional Council, translation by Minna Porvari, Xamk

Photos: Xamk