19 Cities Selected To Participate In Third Round Of The Leadership Exchange Programme
Nineteen cities in Asia, Latin and North America, and Europe have been selected to participate in the third round of the World Cities Culture Forum’s Leadership Exchange Programme to scale best practices that address challenges impacting culture in cities. The exchange programme brings together leaders from city governments to share approaches that place culture at the heart of growing the night-time economy to making city centres more walkable.
The Leadership Exchange Programme fast-tracks change in cities as they replicate, adapt, and scale policies with a proven track record of success. The visits offer real-life research and in-person observation, with city leaders returning home equipped with actionable insights and practical ideas ready for implementation. The programme continues to be supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Selected city and cultural leaders from Amsterdam, Barcelona, Boston, Cologne, Dubai, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Kyiv, London, Los Angeles (City and County), Milan, Montreal, New York, San Francisco, São Paulo, Stockholm, Toronto, Vancouver, Warsaw will take part in this round of research and study visits.
Since 2018, the Leadership Exchange Programme has empowered more than 185 leaders from 22 global cities to drive lasting change. Past exchanges have catalysed projects like the Creative Land Trust, which protects and expands affordable, creative workspaces worldwide. It has promoted new public art commissions from indigenous artists in Toronto and Sydney and fostered dynamic creative projects between Olympic cities Paris and Los Angeles.
The full list of awarded Exchanges can be found below.
Justine Simons OBE, Founder and Chair of World Cities Culture Forum and London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries said:
“The Leadership Exchange Programme shows what’s possible when city leaders come together with openness and ambition. By sharing our brightest ideas and learning from real-world practice, we are accelerating change and unlocking culture’s power to transform the cities of the future.”
Laia Gasch, Director, World Cities Culture Forum said:
“World cities are at the forefront of global challenges – from population growth and migration to climate change and inequality. To meet these challenges, it is vital that cities work together and learn from each other. The Leadership Exchange Programme drives collaboration between cities and accelerates change.”
The 2025 Leadership Exchanges Include:
1. HOW TO BUILD A RESILIENT NIGHT-TIME ECONOMY
Cities: Amsterdam, Cologne, Dubai, Guangzhou, London, San Francisco, Stockholm and Toronto
This exchange will focus on approaches and collaboration to build a future-proof, inclusive night-time economy that places culture at the heart of a thriving 24-hour city.
2. HOW TO DEVELOP THE SILVER ECONOMY
Cities: Guangzhou and London
Participants in this exchange will deep dive into the role of culture in untapping the potential of the Silver Economy to enhance quality of life for older adults and drive resilient, age-friendly cities.
3. HOW TO RETHINK COMMEMORATION IN URBAN SPACES
Cities: Amsterdam, London, New York, Kyiv and Warsaw
Amidst complex historical legacies of war, colonialism, migration, and social justice, this exchange explores how cities navigate commemoration in public spaces and how to represent conflicting narratives in the urban landscape.
4. HOW TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY WORKFORCE
Cities: Boston and São Paulo
Connecting Boston and São Paulo around creative workforce development, innovation, and equity, this exchange will explore scalable models for future-proofing their creative economies.
5. HOW TO CO-CREATE PUBLIC ART
Cities: Jakarta and Milan
This exchange will highlight how cultural institutions and communities can collaborate to create public art that reflects local identity and fosters civic pride.
6. HOW TO PEDESTRIANISE THE HIGH STREET
Cities: Barcelona and London
With London’s emblematic Oxford Street set to be reimagined vehicle free, this exchange draws on Barcelona’s existing experiences including pedestrianising La Rambla to examine how best to transform major streets into walkable, viable and vibrant cultural destinations.
7. HOW TO GROW A SUCCESSFUL FILM CITY
Cities: London, Los Angeles (City and County), New York, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver.
From writers’ strikes to emerging technologies, and growing global competition, this exchange will explore strategies to foster collaboration and resilience between major film cities with shared industry challenges.
ABOUT WORLD CITIES CULTURE FORUM
World Cities Culture Forum is the leading global network of civic leaders from over 45 creative cities from across six continents. Our leaders share ideas and solutions to build a world where culture is at the heart of thriving cities. We have established the principle that culture is a golden thread in cities: supporting communities, improving health and wellbeing, attracting tourists and boosting economies.
Read more about rounds one and two of the Leadership Exchange Programme here.