EUI Policy Lab - Leveraging culture for positive urban change

Building on the results of the Urban Agenda for the EU (UAEU), Urban Innovative Actions (UIA), EUI and URBACT city experiments, the first EUI Policy Lab explored the connection between local contexts and larger EU frameworks, where principles and political decisions impact actions at local level. The lab highlighted a selection of local practices, helping connect diverse cities, and triggering valuable dialogue between participants. This provided the opportunity to examine the experiences of city partnerships in implementing innovative, EU-supported projects, while sharing challenges and practical solutions to inspire other cities.

The EUI Policy Lab included: a site visit to investigate the EUI project Cultural H.ID.RA.N.T. in host city Chalandri (EL); inspirational speeches on “Cities as cultural commons” by local academic Prof. Stavros Stavrides; thematic workshops; plenary sessions with representatives of EU institutions; and open debates with all participants. 

The site visit included practical, on-site workshops focusing on water management, the design of public space, citizen involvement, and storytelling archives. The keynote speech highlighted culture and cultural heritage as a force for encouraging and stimulating new forms of social relations and shared living, capable of transforming market-oriented urbanisation for the common good (Stavrides, 2016). In line with the topics addressed, the policy lab was highly interactive, encouraging questions throughout, and promoting the proactive engagement of participants as protagonists of the event.

This report focuses on framing the topic and analysing the city practices that formed the core of the policy lab, selected from projects supported by EUI, UIA, the New European Bauhaus programme (NEB), URBACT, and the EU Urban Agenda. Project representatives took part in debates on how to adapt, adopt and transfer their practices to other contexts. In order to understand how to better implement new ideas and incorporate change into policy, discussions followed four independent but interrelated thematic clusters.

> Unlocking potentials. Discussing the threshold between the tangible and intangible dimensions of cultural heritage, tools for activating new solidarity-based development models, rules for citizens and stakeholder engagement, and ways to manage city assets with local communities.

> Echoes of the past into future. Exploring the evolving nature of culture and cultural heritage, and their capacity to incorporate new values over time, such as critical and dissonant memories and experiences.

> Supporting a more just transition. Discussing the cultural and natural significance of heritage. This analysis looks beyond the mere act of preserving, maintaining or protecting to embrace more complex relationships between value and revenue, power, government and governance.

> Leading change. Exploring how to reshape legal frameworks and operational patterns to make room for new shared values, for example by institutionalising certain informal frameworks, and de-structuring more formalised approaches.

Key aspects of these thematic discussions were brought together and discussed in plenary sessions. The resulting integrated highlights, innovative ideas and practices are recorded in the conclusions below.

Culture and cultural heritage can play a key role in making European cities more dynamic and attractive. It is relevant to all EU policy priorities, from climate action with the European Green Deal to digital transformation, from the fight against inequalities to policies supporting sustainability and cohesion.

The EUI Policy Lab approached this topic using shared definitions that link culture and cultural heritage to human rights. These include the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) – and UNESCO’s Mexico City Declaration on Cultural Policies (1982), which defines culture as “the distinct spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features characterising a society. It encompasses arts, lifestyle, human rights, value systems, traditions and beliefs”. The policy lab highlighted connections between the tangible (movable, immobile and underwater) and intangible cultural heritage embedded in cultural and natural heritage artefacts, sites and monuments.

The policy lab supports the EU’s multifaceted approach to culture and cultural heritage, which aims to preserve Europe's diverse cultural identities while promoting cooperation, innovation and sustainability across Member States.

EU policies in this area are designed to foster understanding and tolerance between different cultural groups, both within Europe and internationally. The EU plays a coordinating and supportive role, providing both a policy framework and funding opportunities for cross-border initiatives. The aim is to promote cultural diversity, foster intercultural dialogue, and support the preservation and enhancement of culture and cultural heritage in urban environments to create vibrant, more just and inclusive cities.

The European Commission offers support through several EU funding mechanisms, including the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), and other initiatives to help local authorities integrate culture into regional strategies for economic growth. Actions include promoting cultural and creative industries, enhancing infrastructure, and investing in human capital.

Here is a brief, non-comprehensive overview of relevant EU programmes and initiatives, past and present:

• Interreg, which funds cross-border regional projects; 
• The European Capitals of Culture programme;
• The Urban Agenda for the EU with its partnership on Culture and Cultural Heritage, facilitating cooperation between cities, Member States, and the European Commission, and enabling 30 stakeholders to work together on these issues;
• Culture for Cities and Regions, a peer-learning project funded by Creative Europe;
• The European Creative Hubs Network, connecting over 200 cultural and creative sector platforms in cities across Europe;
• The Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor, developed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, which tracks the cultural vibrancy and creative economy of 168 European cities, offering data to help cities measure their cultural and economic performance;
• The EU’s New European Bauhaus initiative, which reinforces recognition for culture and cultural heritage. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described New European Bauhaus as "a co-creation space where architects, artists, students, engineers, designers work together to make that happen." (State of the Union Address, 16 September 2020)

Meanwhile, programmes such as Urban Innovative Actions (the predecessor of European Urban Initiative), URBACT, and other European urban initiatives, support city administrations and local multi-stakeholder partnerships to put these principles into practice locally.

To provide a framework for EUI Policy Lab discussions, a number of topics were identified, based on challenges and questions highlighted by cities participating in the UIA and URBACT programmes. These ranged from storytelling and creativity to urban planning, conflict management, local economic development and commons creation.

Debates were based on an understanding that culture and cultural heritage frameworks must be examined and interrogated as fundamentally political. This is not a fixed concept but rather a fluid and dynamic interplay among place, knowledge and power, which involves tensions among social, economic and environmental dimensions.

The role of culture in urban development

“Culture is considered one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language. This is so partly because of its intricate historical development, in several European languages, but mainly because it has now come to be used for important concepts in several distinct intellectual disciplines and […] systems of thought,” wrote Raymond Williams in his 1976 book Keywords. With this in mind, understanding the transformative power of culture and heritage in cities involves exploring the critical role of both tangible and intangible assets in promoting urban social cohesion, fair economies and environmental improvements.

Climate change poses a growing threat to both tangible and intangible cultural heritage across the EU, as rising temperatures, extreme weather and environmental degradation increasingly affect historic sites and artifacts. More widely, the destruction of cultural heritage in conflict zones, exacerbated by the rise of armed conflict and political instability, has been a key issue for EU foreign policy in recent years. While pressures grow, ensuring accessibility and inclusion remains a priority, making cultural activities and heritage accessible to all citizens, with particular attention to marginalised and underrepresented groups. This includes making cultural experiences available to people with disabilities, as well as supporting minority languages and cultural practices that may risk being overlooked.

Culture can be defined as the creation and sharing of stories that connect people through common language, imagery and metaphors, allowing for shared meaning and understanding. These stories shape and reflect values and build bonds between communities. As Sandercock (2004) suggests, culture is not only an expression of individual creativity but also a collective force that unites us through the narratives we tell about ourselves and the world around us. These values are visible in cities and across urbanised territories, though they are by no means friction-free or naively consensual. 

Urban planning can highlight the complex relations between such diverse interests. It can be viewed as a collaborative, forward-looking narrative, where planners, communities and other stakeholders co-author the story of a city’s future. In line with communicative urban planning theories, Throgmorton (1996) describes planning as a process of storytelling, where diverse perspectives come together to articulate visions of "the truth" of urban spaces.

However, when planning stories conflict or overlap, the challenge lies in finding a balance between competing narratives, ensuring that all voices are heard, especially those of people most impoverished by what can be seen as today's societal predatory logics. This raises a whole set of questions around contestation, intersectionality, de-colonisation, appropriation and rights against co-optation, banishment, erasure, displacement, and mainstreaming dominant culture based on undemocratic credos.

Culture, ecological conversion and common space

This policy lab looked into two main approaches with important implications for city practices. One is inspired by the work of Alexander Langer on ecological conversion, and the other builds on key-note speaker Stavros Stavrides’ view of culture as space of commoning.

The concept of ecological conversion is relevant in developing strategies to counteract climate change through comprehensive holistic societal change, with culture playing a crucial role. According to Langer, the central issue of creating an ecologically sustainable civilization is not simply about what actions we can take, but rather about understanding where the motivation for such change should come from. Until a cultural shift occurs, one that embraces the idea of "slower, deeper, softer" living, rather than the maxim of "faster, higher, stronger", true ecological change will not take hold. Such a shift must be rooted in deep cultural, religious, social and ethical values, with governments focusing on creating a positive framework for change, making ecological transformation desirable and achievable.

Alexander Langer’s “possible priorities in the search for long-term prosperity” include certain interconnected steps to help initiate this transformation. First, accurate ecological assessments of government budgets, a necessary requirement if the current economic model is to be replaced by one that factors in environmental costs. Second, the industrial world must embrace the concept of zero-growth and gradually reduce the focus on economic expansion. Promoting local economies over global markets is another key step, allowing for more sustainable and manageable economic practices. Environmental impact assessments should be expanded to cover not only the immediate ecological effects of projects but also their social and cultural impacts. Furthermore, social guarantees and a redistribution of labour are essential to cushion the negative effects of ecological changes, such as the closure of polluting industries. Lastly, reducing the influence of the financial economy and promoting direct access to nature can foster a more sustainable way of life, encouraging ecological responsibility.

Policy lab discussions on framing culture as a space of commons drew on Stavrides’ view that common space is created through the practice of "commoning", a collective activity that both shapes, and is shaped by, its participants. Unlike the conventional view of space as a static commodity that can be owned, bought or sold, this approach argues that space is an active form of social relations, an ever-evolving entity. It is always in the process of being produced by the people who engage with it and have the opportunity to challenge traditional notions of ownership and authority. For common space to remain common, it must resist becoming enclosed or bounded, which would limit its transformative potential. This approach criticises the definition of common space based simply on ownership status. When common space becomes enclosed, it risks becoming an enclave of privilege or exclusion.

Viewing common space as a material object defined by legal, political or economic criteria can be a limitation. True common space transcends these boundaries, challenging fixed notions of community. The policy lab linked this approach with examples of autonomous self-managed participatory practices e.g. Urban Commons in Naples, an URBACT Good practice, and the URBACT transfer network Civic-eState. Overall, this suggests that common spaces, particularly in urban environments, can help reshape local economies and social structures in the struggle for a more emancipated society.

The experiences shared in this EUI Policy Lab emphasise the interconnectedness of inclusive participation, collaboration, and adaptive strategies for cultural and urban regeneration. A number of policy recommendations emerged as keys to open up the transformative power of culture and cultural heritage to create vibrant, more just and inclusive cities, promoting social cohesion and environmental improvements at local level.

• Leverage culture and cultural heritage to facilitate dialogue between multiple, potentially conflicting, voices

Culture and cultural heritage are mediators for sense-making, helping communities connect their memories, values and experiences. While these can be contentious due to political, religious or ethnic differences, or links to a violent or contentious past, it is essential to expand the notion of culture beyond mere rhetorical speech.

Examples from the policy lab, including work on dissonant heritage, show that creating frameworks that bolster local ecosystems and integrate them into urban strategies for sustainability, climate resilience and inclusivity enables citizens to experience and engage in a culture of democratic and respectful co-existence.

Leverage cultural initiatives to tackle social isolation and foster shared experiences. Use art and technology to support broader engagement, make room for co-designed narratives, with culture and cultural heritage providing a translation tool to help ensure the representation of multiple voices.

Activate safe spaces produced by the people who will use them, for dialogue, mutual understanding and collaboration. This helps engage diverse groups, including marginalised and vulnerable communities, youth, and local stakeholders. Space is a process of being.

• Set clear objectives and tangible outcomes to help gain trust and maintain engagement over time

Honest, transparent processes with clear objectives help build trust and ensure meaningful engagement. Tangible, impactful and locally relevant outcomes help maintain community involvement over time. Define shared goals between authorities and communities, and maintain and respect them over time to ensure partnerships are sustainable. Practices shared in the policy lab showed that a good communication strategy, using unconventional and easy-access tools, can help.

Make sure development processes involve communities throughout project life cycles, with clear objectives, roles and action frameworks. Co-designed and co-managed public spaces and services can foster a sense of belonging, provide platforms for bottom-up initiatives, expand local democracy and citizenship, and distribute power and responsibilities.

• Promote co-ownership of projects and grassroots initiatives in order to support solidarity, environmental justice and equitable economies

Environmental justice, and equitable access to resources, infrastructures and services, are central to sustainable urban development. Community-driven projects have the potential to reinforce a sense of solidarity, balancing aspirations for the future, fair economic growth and wellbeing.

Culture and cultural heritage approaches can help recognise and support innovative grassroots organisations whose sustainable, socially and environmentally conscious projects act as catalysts for regeneration and local development.

The practices shared in this EUI Policy Lab provide resources for experimentation, capacity development, empowerment of people and self-organisation, implementing co-management models, and recognising the role that youth can play in innovation.

• Activate new local alliances while networking with successful existing initiatives

Map and align local actors, capitalise on progressive projects and initiatives already active in the area, and create synergies through local partnerships. Key actions could include: finding new ways to engage local groups, such as creative communication campaigns to initiate discussions on cultural heritage; training and empowering local actors to engage in regeneration strategies; promoting co-design processes to foster community ownership; and defining new spaces of commoning.

• Ensure political and administrative frameworks support co-management schemes

Context-based, multi-stakeholder alliances based on the principles of culture and cultural heritage can help ensure that regeneration efforts are tailored and impactful. Consider setting up formal agreements, cooperative pacts or statutes for commoning – as presented by practices in the Policy Lab – while also identifying dedicated spaces and resources, and helping maintain clear roles, shared goals and accountability. These agreements have the potential to strengthen democratic values and counter market-oriented extractivist economies, supporting common goods, environmental justice and human rights.

• Prototype solutions

Apply incremental and open-ended approaches into wider strategies to ensure flexibility and tackle emerging, and unpredictable, challenges. Make room for prototyping in planning and implementation tools to allow for adaptive strategies that incorporate feedback and embrace failure as part of a collective learning process.

Adopt flexible strategies that evolve with circumstances, allowing for the shared redefinition of objectives along the process. Use experience gained in the field to revise and reshape administrative and bureaucratic frameworks.

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Stavrides, S. (2016). Common Space: The City as Commons. Zed Books.

Von der Leyen, U. (2020). New European Bauhaus. See https://ec. europa. eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/AC_20_1916.

This report was produced with guidance from the EUI team in charge of the Leveraging culture for positive urban change policy Lab. It was co-authored by Laura Colini, Chiara Lucchini, Levente Polyak, Ileana Toscano and Pietro Verga, thanks to valuable inputs from policy lab speakers and participants.