ForwArt's legacy: the municipal point of view

ForwArt: Reflections on a Transformative Journey for Youth and Culture

As the curtains close on the ForwArt project, we bring you an insightful podcast that delves into the heart of this groundbreaking initiative. Hosted just before the festive season, this episode is a moment of reflection and celebration of a project that redefined the way municipalities, communities, and cultural stakeholders come together to inspire change.

Joining us in this special episode are Inez Raskovac, project manager, and Ulco Mes, cultural policy programme officer from the Municipality of Tilburg. Together, they share their unique perspectives on the project's ambitions, challenges, and transformative impact on North Tilburg and its youth.

ForwArt was an ambitious initiative within the Cultural Heritage stream of the UIA programme—but with a twist. Unlike many other projects focused on preserving tangible heritage, ForwArt explored living cultural heritage by creating a cultural ecosystem that gave young people new opportunities to thrive. Through collaboration with diverse stakeholders, from public service providers to artistic partners, the project aimed to tackle pressing urban issues like youth criminality and limited life prospects.

🎧 Highlights from the Podcast:

• Core Elements of the Project: Inez reflects on what made ForwArt truly special and how its focus on art and culture became a beacon of hope for youth in the community.
• Cultural Heritage Reimagined: Ulco discusses how ForwArt challenged conventional perceptions of cultural heritage, emphasizing intangible connections and personal growth.
• Collaborative Innovation: The lively partnership dynamics are explored, shedding light on how early engagers and late learners found their roles in the project and how the municipality’s relationship with partners evolved.
• Impact and Lessons Learned: From institutional learning to the power of storytelling in impact measurement, the podcast uncovers how ForwArt reshaped the municipality’s approach to social innovation.
• Community Engagement: Both guests share how involving local stakeholders and youth not only shaped the project’s direction but also led to lasting impacts on trust and cooperation.

✨ Why Listen?

For anyone involved in urban innovation, cultural heritage, or social change, this podcast offers a wealth of insights. Hear firsthand how a multidisciplinary approach and a focus on personal stories can create meaningful impact in underserved communities. Learn about the challenges of maintaining momentum in a long-term project and the strategies that helped overcome them.

As we look to the future, this podcast also explores the potential for scaling the project’s successes and its implications for other cities across Europe. What is the legacy of ForwArt? How can we ensure its lessons continue to inspire change?

Tune in to this final episode of the ForwArt journey—a story of innovation, collaboration, and resilience—and join us in celebrating a project that dared to imagine a brighter future through the transformative power of art and culture.

📢 Stay Connected:
Don’t miss this engaging conversation. Find the podcast on the UIA Programme website and share it with your network to spread the inspiration!

Special thanks to Ron Schuurkes and Omroep Tilburg for providing the facilities to record this final episode and for their valuable partnership throughout the ForwArt project.