Title
Session description
This session explored the transformative potential of integrating culture, heritage, and sustainability in shaping vibrant urban spaces, aligning with the Urban Agenda for the EU, the EU Work Plan for Culture 2023-2026 and the New European Bauhaus. It also highlighted the role of Cohesion policy and the opportunities it gives in shaping the strategies where culture and cultural heritage play prominent role.
The session was structured into 3 layers: Culture Inspires, Culture Connects and Culture Discovers. Each layer allowed for several good practices to be showcased from cities such as Krakow, Chalandri, Faro and Matera, as well as from the UAEU Partnership on culture and cultural heritage and the ENSA Paris-Belleville , Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture. The session was highly interactive, with several Q&A rounds and sli.do quizzes.
Key insights
Culture Inspires. Krakow Festival Bureau (KBF), an organisation that started 25 years ago with the process of Krakow European Capital of Culture and has evolved as the cultural driving force of the city for cultural festivals and creative districts. It plays a crucial role in supporting citizens in imagining futures for their communities. Their latest long-term project is revolving around the Wesoła neighbourhood, and their new ERDF funding through their EUI-IA project SCT HUB is contributing to the creation of a sustainable tourism hub. Similarly, the UAEU Partnership on culture and cultural heritage has conducted valuable work not only on the growing link between culture and tourism, but also opening up the sphere of what culture signifies in an urban context. Intangible heritage, dissonant heritage and the translation of NEB principles into the urban sphere are some key takeaways of the work conducted by the partnership.
Culture Connects. The transformations enabled by the ERDF-funded EUI-IA Cultural HIDRANT supported the regeneration of the Hadrian aqueduct through an integrated approach. This enabled new ways of participation and connecting heritage with basic service supply, such as water in a context of a city highly vulnerable to extreme heat and droughts.
Culture Discovers. This session discussed reconsidering the effects of the European Capital of Culture format, how to manage expectations from local community to a cultural-driven development as envisaged for Matera Capital of Culture. It also explored how to keep the momentum built around the application process for this title and maintain trust and coherence for a long-term vision on how culture is contributing to the sustainable urban development of Faro.
Key take aways
Culture and heritage can have a myriad of nuances on what they signify in an urban context. Cohesion policy should make this more explicit. There are some instances- such as the latest Ninth Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion where culture is not even mentioned once.
Practical examples like the revitalisation of Wesoła in Krakow or the Hadrian aqueduct in Halandri show how culture, heritage, and community co-creation can drive inclusive regeneration, sustainable tourism, and climate resilience. Experiences from cities like Faro and Matera underscore both the transformative potential and the challenges of aligning cultural strategies with local expectations, participation, and long-term urban development goals.
There is strong evidence from territories on how culture and heritage is connected with the integrated approach for urban development and NEB principles. From enabling strong participation and trust in democratic values, to enhancing climate resilience, contributing to local economy and sustainable tourism and enhancing wellbeing and quality of life, these good practices built a strong case on the importance of culture and heritage in shaping vibrant urban spaces.
The work and action plan co-developed by the UAEU Partnership on culture and cultural heritage is highly valuable for both policymakers and practitioners. Even though the partnership is closed, there should be additional resources to both continue to disseminate and advocate its work, but also to ensure coherence with the programmes of the future programming period
Conclusion
It is important that this topic is not treated marginally, but becomes central of the urban debate.
Inputs related to the EU agenda for cities
Some of the key inputs the session could bring the EU agenda for cities revolve around the following:
- Integrate culture as a core pillar of urban development, not a marginal theme.
- Use creativity and heritage as catalysts for regeneration and tools for citizen engagement.
- Promote a broader understanding of culture as a driver of inclusion, resilience, and democracy.
- Support small and medium-sized cities in adapting European Capital of Culture ambitions to local contexts.
- Ensure inclusive processes that manage local expectations and connect local actors to European layers.
- Encourage cities to leverage the momentum of candidacy processes—even when unsuccessful—to develop lasting cultural strategies and international partnerships.
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