Throughout this article, the need to integrate territorial development models with the innovation potential of cultural activities is identified. A better understanding of the evolution of rural areas requires the introduction of extra-economic variables such as values, behaviours and cultural aspects into the socio-economic analysis. In this scenario, the dynamisation, research and training services developed by CITEMA, the identification of new audiences to interact with; the design of alternative business models; the creation of cultural value or the economic impact, to cite a few examples, are part of this scenario.