---
title: Europe
type: taxonomy_archive
taxonomy: city-region
slug: europe
term_id: 108
permalink: "https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/city-region/europe/"
post_count: 132
---

# Europe

Posts in this archive: 132

- [The World’s Emptying Villages: Could Creative Cities Hold the Key?](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/the-worlds-emptying-villages-could-creative-cities-hold-the-key.md) — Walk through rural Japan and you will find many abandoned homes: doors left ajar, gardens overgrown, teacups still on shelves. Japan now has approximately 9 million of these empty properties - known as akiya - double the number from thirty years ago, as younger generations leave for cities and never return.  In Italy, more than 70 towns have introduced schemes selling abandoned houses for as little as one euro - not as a real estate bargain, but as a last attempt to save entire communities from extinction . Across Europe, rural depopulation is steadily hollowing out villages, emptying buildings and slowly eroding centuries of cultural heritage. 

Meanwhile, in those same years, cities have been filling up. Rents have exploded. Creative communities that built the cultural identity of neighbourhoods in Amsterdam, Berlin and Seoul have been pushed to the margins — priced out, squeezed out, worn out. Two-thirds of all global population growth between now and 2050 is projected to occur in cities . The pressure will only intensify.  

We have been treating these as two separate problems. They are one.
- [Access to Culture: Edinburgh’s Creative Community Hubs](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/access-to-culture-edinburghs-creative-community-hubs.md) — The City of Edinburgh Council’s Creative Community Hubs project has built a network of eight locally rooted hubs that foster inclusive cultural participation, address systemic barriers in collaboration, and strengthen community resilience through shared spaces, partnerships, and advocacy.
- [How Hamburg is decolonising its neighbourhoods and institutions](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/decolonisation-how-hamburg-is-decolonising-its-neighbourhoods-and-institutions.md) — In 2024, Hamburg launched 'Decolonise Hamburg!', a citywide decolonisation strategy involving civil society, institutions, and government. It reappraises colonial history through research, education, and cultural participation, empowering BIPoC communities and establishing postcolonial remembrance in public space. Initiatives include renaming colonial street names, restituting looted artefacts, and creating transnational networks. The strategy serves as a model for cities seeking inclusive, historically grounded, and participatory cultural transformation.
- [Hamburg’s INTRO programme connects professional artists in exile and cultural institutions](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/hamburg-intro-programme-for-refugee-artists.md) — Launched in 2019 by Hamburg’s Ministry of Culture and Media, the INTRO programme supports refugee artists through institutional partnerships, workshops, and funding. The initiative aims to foster cultural inclusion, challenge restrictive institutional norms, and promote mutual learning and cultural exchange. By enabling 12-month collaborations, it helps artists build networks and visibility, while supporting cultural institutions in evolving toward more inclusive, anti-discriminatory practices rooted in global dialogue.
- [How Hamburg put children and young people in charge of culture strategy](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/youth-culture-how-hamburg-put-children-and-young-people-in-charge-of-culture-strategy.md) — Hamburg’s Framework for Children and Youth Culture redefines cultural policy by centring youth participation. Developed through a multidimensional participatory culture strategy, it reflects the real needs and desires of the city’s children and young people. With tools like the Hamburg Children’s Manifesto and a newly forming Council of Culture for Children and Young People, the city is embedding inclusive culture into its institutions and setting a new benchmark for long-term youth engagement in cultural policy.
- [Creative Industries: Helsinki’s '9 Actions' creative economy strategy ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/9-actions-for-helsinki-creative-industries-growth-strategy.md) — Helsinki is scaling up its commitment to the creative economy strategy through the “9 Actions” roadmap, co-developed with industry professionals. It proposes targeted steps to strengthen cultural entrepreneurship, remove administrative barriers, activate underused spaces, and support urban creative ecosystems. With global creative sectors growing rapidly, Helsinki’s long-term competitiveness hinges on how effectively it fosters creative sector growth and supports inclusive, innovation-driven cultural business models.
- [Heritage Infrastructure: Transforming İstanbul’s 19th-century Rami Barracks into Rami Library](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/istanbul-rami-library.md) — The transformation of İstanbul’s 19th-century Rami Barracks into the Rami Library has created one of Türkiye’s largest cultural hubs, blending heritage conservation with innovative services to support lifelong learning, research, and community life.
- [Cultural Resilience: Three ways Kyiv is supporting culture during conflict](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/cultural-resilience-three-ways-kyiv-is-supporting-culture-during-conflict.md)
- [Oral History: Preserving Lisbon’s collective memory through Memórias de Lisboa](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/memorias-de-lisboa-programme.md) — Lisbon City Council's Memórias de Lisboa (Memories of Lisbon) programme is a community-based cultural initiative dedicated to collecting, preserving and promoting the collective memory of Lisbon’s residents. More than 500 residents across different districts of Lisbon have taken part since 2015.
- [Theatre District: How Lisbon is revitalising the 1920s Parque Mayer neighbourhood](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/revitalising-parque-mayer-lisbon.md) — Parque Mayer has a unique place in Lisbon’s cultural history, extending far beyond its function as a theatre and entertainment district. Created in 1922, it soon became known as the ‘Broadway of Lisbon, bringing together theatres, restaurants and performance spaces. For nearly a century, it has embodied the city’s cultural memory and identity, reflecting successive phases of Portuguese entertainment. 
- [Library Strategy: How Lisbon Library Network is strengthening libraries as a cultural and social ecosystem](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/lisbon-library-network.md) — The Lisbon Library Network functions as an integrated municipal system connecting libraries across the city’s neighbourhoods. The network’s Strategic Programme 2025–2035 ensures that this ecosystem continues to thrive, adapting to technological, social and urban transformations while reinforcing the library’s role at the heart of Lisbon’s cultural policy.
- [How night-time cultural policy can regenerate town centres](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/bromley-night-time-enterprise-zone-cultural-regeneration.md) — In 2022, Bromley became one of the first boroughs to join the Mayor of London’s Night Time Enterprise Zone programme. Using strategic cultural programming and evening activation – like Library Lates and a Winter Lights Festival – the initiative significantly reversed high street decline, boosted footfall and positioned the town centre as a safe, welcoming, and culturally vibrant destination after dark by providing experiences for all.
- [Cultural Olympiad: Joint Los Angeles-Paris poster competition strengthens Olympic values and culture](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/los-angeles-2024-paris-cultural-olympiad-poster-competition.md) — The 2024 Paris Cultural Olympiad Poster Competition connected art students from Paris and Los Angeles in a cross-city collaboration that celebrates Olympic values, civic engagement, and cultural diplomacy. Organised by the City of Paris and LA County’s Department of Arts and Culture, the project supported emerging artists, created international exposure, and informed cultural programming for the 2028 LA Olympic Games through poster and animation design exhibited globally.
- [A Network of City Wide Festivals: Milan is alive](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/milan-is-alive.md)
- [Open-Air Museum: How Milan turned a new park into a cultural destination ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/milan-art-line.md)
- [Participatory Murals: A ‘Name in Every Neighbourhood’ of Milan ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/milan-a-name-in-every-neighbourhood.md)
- [Opening Doors: The app making Oslo’s municipal buildings accessible after-hours to activate cultural volunteering](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/oslonokkelen-after-hours-culture-app.md) — To support community life and volunteer engagement, Oslo is opening up municipal buildings through Oslo Booking and The Oslo Key – digital solutions for reserving and accessing schools and civic venues for culture and the community. The initiative addresses the growing need for free and flexible indoor spaces, removes bureaucratic barriers, and extends access beyond regular opening hours. In 2024 alone, 4.5 million hours of volunteer activity were booked at municipal venues, revitalising underused infrastructure to support inclusive cultural life citywide.
- [Catalysing Creativity: How Oslo is distributing targeted cultural funding to activate urban life and drive innovation in the arts](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/catalyzing-creativity-how-oslo-is-distributing-targeted-cultural-funding-to-activate-urban-life-and-drive-innovation-in-the-arts.md) — To strengthen cultural vibrancy and inclusivity, Oslo has expanded its municipal grant schemes, supporting grassroots creativity, public space activation, and cultural innovation. In 2025, NOK  399 million will be distributed across arts and culture, in addition to initiatives like the Bylivstilskudd urban life grants funding both large festivals and small-scale projects. Innovation grants also back experimental work, including collaborations with business and tech sectors. These schemes place culture at the centre of Oslo’s evolving urban identity
- [A Place Becoming: Anchoring community amid urban change in Oslo](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/oslo-mortensrud-anchoring-communities-with-art-amid-urban-change.md) — As Oslo grows rapidly, the city’s public art strategy ensures new developments reflect the identity and voices of existing communities.  In Mortensrud, for instance, artists collaborated with residents to embed local histories into redevelopment.  Projects such as Last Station Mortensrud and Together We Can Move Mountains use photography, performance, and digital art to honour everyday life and lost landmarks. The approach fosters dialogue, preserves memory, and places cultural heritage at the centre of urban change.
- [Cultural Olympiad: How Paris embedded art and culture into the Olympic legacy ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/paris-2024-cultural-olympiad-cultural-policy-legacy.md) — The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games served as a turning point for the city’s cultural strategy. The Cultural Olympiad, launched in advance of the Games, significantly expanded the presence of art in public spaces and opened new avenues for civic participation. By merging cultural practice with the spirit of sport, the city activated public space and invited Parisians into a reimagined relationship with culture.
- [Cultural Infrastructure: How Paris integrated a media library and a refugee house](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/james-baldwin-media-library-and-refugee-house-paris.md) — The James-Baldwin Media Library and the Refugee House form a pioneering dual institution located in the former Jean-Quarré High School in Paris’s 19th arrondissement. Designed to serve both local residents and newcomers, this collaborative cultural and social hub fosters community integration, mutual understanding, and inclusive access to public services. The two facilities represent a bold response to contemporary urban challenges through innovative use of public space.
- [Théâtre de la Concorde: Where Art Meets Democracy](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/paris-theatre-de-la-concorde.md) — The Théâtre de la Concorde embodies the City of Paris’s commitment to use culture as a lever for democracy and social change. As the city’s first municipal theatre, it is designed as a public space for all, located at the base of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. This prestigious yet unexpected setting invites people with little prior cultural engagement to participate. The theatre is addressing the defining democratic issues of our time through artistic creation, debate, and direct citizen involvement.
- [How Stockholm has dedicated workers to establish new cultural spaces](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/stockholm-culture-pilots.md) — Since 2016, Stockholm’s Culture Pilots have supported cultural actors and property owners in transforming underused spaces into vibrant cultural venues. Acting as matchmakers and advisors, the Pilots guide projects from idea to opening, offering coaching, funding advice, and help navigating city processes. From industrial sites turned into stages to former shops reimagined as music studios, the initiative has activated spaces citywide, proving that cultural infrastructure needs both vision and practical support to thrive.
- [Library Lab: Stockholm using UX methods to improve libraries](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/stockholm-library-lab.md) — To deepen cultural participation, Stockholm City Library has embedded user experience (UX) methods into daily practice across its 40 branches. At the Library Lab in Liljeholmen, launched in 2024 as a four-year experiment, staff use agile, user-led sprints to co-design future library services with local residents. From parent breakfasts to youth-led space redesigns, the Lab gathers insights to inform a major new library. The initiative has become a model for inclusive, needs-driven cultural infrastructure.
- [Stockholm’s Nobel Week Lights Winter Festival](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/stockholm-nobel-week-lights.md) — Held each December during the Nobel Prize celebrations, Nobel Week Lights invites artists to create large-scale light installations inspired by Nobel-winning discoveries. The free festival reimagines Stockholm’s public spaces during its darkest month, with artworks designed to engage all ages and backgrounds. In 2024, 1.7 million people experienced 16 installations including student works, multilingual tours, and interactive events. The festival boosts civic pride, cultural access, and Stockholm’s global visibility through light and science.
- [Helsinki’s new museum for sustainable architecture and inclusive Nordic design](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/architecture-and-design-museum-helsinki.md) — The new Architecture and Design Museum in Helsinki will open in 2030, uniting two legacy institutions into a sustainable, inclusive, and globally significant cultural hub. Located in the city’s historic South Harbour, the museum will showcase Nordic design, support professional development, and foster public engagement. It reflects Helsinki’s strategic investment in cultural infrastructure and positions the city as a global leader in sustainable architecture and creative placemaking.
- [A New Era for Vienna’s City Museum](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/wien-museum-vienna.md) — Reopened in 2023 after a major city-funded renovation, the Wien Museum blends architectural preservation with bold expansion. A ‘floating’ concrete cube adds two new floors of exhibition space, while geothermal systems, solar panels, and inclusive design signal a commitment to sustainability and access. Operated by the Museums of the City of Vienna, the project drew on over a decade of public dialogue. Since reopening, the museum has become one of Vienna’s most popular cultural destinations, also earning the Austrian Eco-Label for sustainability
- [Culture Summer Vienna: Making summer culture accessible to all in Vienna ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/vienna-kultursommer-wien.md) — Kultursommer Wien (‘Culture Summer Vienna’) is a city-funded open-air festival offering free, high-quality performances across Vienna’s neighbourhoods. With a EUR 4 million annual budget, it supports fair pay for artists and promotes inclusion through sign language interpreters, induction loops, and decentralised venues—particularly in outer districts. Attracting over 86,000 visitors in 2024, the festival fosters community connection and cultural diversity, becoming a summer staple that brings the city’s creative spirit into public space.
- [Foto Wien: Strengthening Vienna’s cultural infrastructure ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/vienna-foto-arsenal-wien.md) — Foto Arsenal Wien is a publicly funded institution dedicated to contemporary photography and lens-based media. Following a EUR 3 million renovation of a historic building in the Arsenal complex, it offers exhibitions, workshops, and education programmes for all ages. With state-of-the-art facilities and up to 12 shows annually, it has quickly become a cornerstone of Vienna’s cultural infrastructure and a leading venue for photographic innovation and public engagement.
- [Cultural Infrastructure: Establishing a dedicated Pavilion of Dance in Warsaw ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/warsaw-pavilion-of-dance.md) — Responding to a long-standing gap in infrastructure, the City of Warsaw is establishing the Pavilion of Dance and Other Performing Arts – a dedicated venue for contemporary dance and performance. Housed in the repurposed Pavilion on the Vistula – a former temporary Museum of Modern Art space – the initiative was shaped through deep consultation with the dance community and participatory architectural design. Set to launch a one-year pilot in 2025, the Pavilion marks a milestone in Warsaw’s cultural development, fostering visibility, creation, and connection for the performing arts.
- [How Warsaw is strengthening employees of cultural centres ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/warsaw-strengthening-employees-of-cultural-centres.md) — Launched by the City of Warsaw and led by Staromiejski Dom Kultury, the Programme for Strengthening Employees of Cultural Centers supports the professional development and wellbeing of cultural staff across the city. Through workshops, supervision sessions, personalised tutoring, and free psychological consultations, the initiative addresses burnout, builds soft skills, and fosters collaboration. By investing in the people behind local culture, Warsaw is creating a more resilient, innovative, and connected cultural ecosystem.
- [Cultural Infrastructure: Warsaw’s award-winning new Museum of Modern Art ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/warsaw-museum-of-modern-art.md) — In October 2024, after nearly 20 years as a nomadic institution, the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw (MSN Warsaw) opened its first permanent home in the heart of the city, next to the Palace of Culture and Science. Designed by Thomas Phifer, the minimalist, light-filled building offers 4,500m² of exhibition space, a theatre, and public forums. Already drawing international acclaim and thousands of visitors, the museum is revitalising central Warsaw as a cultural hub and cementing the city’s status as a centre for contemporary art.
- [Culture for All: Expanding access to culture in Zürich](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/transformation-grants-for-cultural-participation.md) — Launched in 2024, Zürich’s Transformation Grants for Cultural Participation support cultural institutions in removing barriers to access and embedding diversity in their structures. Funded jointly by the City and Canton, the CHF 5 million programme offers phased support, from analysis to implementation, and requires partnerships with civil society organisations to ensure authentic inclusion. By focusing on organisational change rather than artistic output, the initiative aims to create long-term, sustainable cultural spaces that reflect and serve Zürich’s diverse population.
- [Preserving film culture in Zürich through The Cinematic Campus](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/zurich.md) — Launched in 2023 by Filmpodium and the University of Zürich, The Cinematic Campus brings film studies students and the wider public back into the cinema. Through live lectures followed by screenings in a professional theatre, the project bridges academic learning and cinematic experience, countering the isolating effects of digital streaming. Free and open to all, the programme revitalises Zürich’s film culture while encouraging dialogue, critical thinking, and cross-generational learning through the power of cinema
- [Artist Feedback: Zürich's Try-Out festival where artists can get feedback on work in progress ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/zurich-theater-am-hechtplatz.md) — Launched in 2023 by Theater am Hechtplatz, Hecht Jetzt is Zürich’s annual try-out festival for emerging Swiss theatre artists. Held over 3–4 days each summer, it gives artists one rehearsal, one performance, and a moderated feedback session with a diverse audience, followed by informal exchange and networking. Participants are paid, and many report valuable insights and new bookings as a result. The festival offers an honest, inclusive space for experimentation and artistic development.
- [Culture and collaboration in Cologne’s meanwhile spaces](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/cologne-meanwhile-spaces-cultural-transformation.md) — In Cologne’s city centre, culture is being tested as a catalyst for urban revival. Launched in 2024, an innovative collaboration between Cultural Space Management and TH Köln University is transforming three vacant retail units near Schildergasse and Hohe Straße into vibrant “meanwhile spaces.” By curating cultural pop-ups, performances, and community-led interventions, the project explores how temporary uses can attract new audiences, extend city life beyond retail hours, and foster social diversity. Through this living laboratory, Cologne is reimagining how culture can drive the renewal of central urban spaces in transition.
- [Balancing resident needs with a vibrant, sustainable night time economy in Amsterdam](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/amsterdam-agenda-for-night-culture-2023-2026.md) — Amsterdam’s Implementation Agenda for Night Culture 2023–2026 is a strategic plan to strengthen the city’s night time economy through 15 targeted measures. It addresses key challenges like noise complaints, lack of affordable space, and barriers for emerging creatives. With initiatives including a noise reduction fund, talent subsidies, and feasibility studies for new venues, the agenda supports a vibrant, inclusive nightlife while aligning with broader cultural and community goals.
- [Data-led cultural mapping in Amsterdam](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/cultural-infrastructure-data-led-cultural-mapping-in-amsterdam.md) — Amsterdam’s rapid population growth strained its cultural infrastructure, with unevenly distributed facilities and declining availability of affordable creative workspaces. In response, the City of Amsterdam mapped all cultural spaces to identify gaps and inform strategic investment. This data-driven approach led to targeted development across districts — such as a proposed music street, new exhibition spaces, and theatres — enhancing cultural infrastructure and increasing cultural participation citywide.
- [National Slavery Museum in Amsterdam: A Model for Cultural Reconciliation and Inclusive Cultural Policy](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/amsterdam-dutch-national-slavery-museum.md) — The City of Amsterdam has played a leading role in initiating a new National Slavery Museum which is due to open in 2030. The EUR 115 million project – jointly funded by the City of Amsterdam and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture & Science – aims to tell the whole Dutch slavery story, and involve grassroots communities to bring about reconciliation, social change, healing and recovery by facing, acknowledging and processing the past.
- [Art Everywhere: Cologne’s advertising pillars turned into open-air art museum](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/art-on-cologne-advertising-pillars.md)
- [How Cologne used culture to revive Neumarkt Square](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/cologne-cultural-activation-of-neumarkt-square.md) — Once Cologne’s historic Neumarkt square was better known for decline than community. In 2023, the city launched Take a Seat—a cultural programme combining temporary architecture, performances, and community co-creation—to reclaim the square as a safe, vibrant civic space. Over two summer months, Neumarkt was transformed into a hub of cultural life, offering a model for how cities can use culture to spark urban renewal.
- [How Dublin used culture to strategically boost its nightlife ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/dublin-night-time-economy-strategy-2.md) — In 2024, Dublin launched a new Night-Time Economy Strategy to reimagine nightlife as a key pillar of civic and cultural life. Led by the city’s first Night-Time Economy Adviser, the plan expands late-night cultural programming, enhances transport, and improves safety. With flagship events like Dublin By Night Fest and St. Patrick’s After Dark, the strategy promotes inclusive and vibrant after-dark engagement while piloting welfare services and safer city experiences.
- [One Dublin, One Book brings the city together through literature](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/one-dublin-one-book-2.md) — Every April since 2005, Dublin residents have been encouraged to read the same book either written by a Dubliner or connected with the capital city, through the One Dublin, One Book campaign. To mark the 20th year of this mass cultural participation event, Dublin City Council and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature commissioned an anthology of 22 poets and writers to capture Dublin in the first quarter of the century.
- [Delivering sustainable artist workspaces in Dublin](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/dublin-space-to-create-artist-workspaces-2.md) — Dublin City Council’s Space to Create programme responds to a critical shortage of artist workspaces by refurbishing vacant buildings into long-term, affordable studios. With €9.5 million in funding from the City Council, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and philanthropy, the initiative will deliver 40 workspaces by 2027. The first site at Artane Place highlights a model of cultural infrastructure driven by local engagement, sustainability, and inclusive cultural policy.
- [Cultural Participation: How the London Borough of Culture made art accessible to all ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/waltham-forest-london-borough-of-culture.md) — The Mayor’s London Borough of Culture programme offers a borough of the capital £1.35 million to stage a year of cultural initiatives and better integrate culture in their borough. Waltham Forest was the first ever London Borough of Culture in 2019. After 1,000 events that attracted 500,000 people and £4.1 million locally, the borough has created a new Creative Enterprise Zone for artists and a new Cultural Quarter for visitors.
- [How Edinburgh embedded carbon management reporting for cultural institutions](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/edinburgh-cultural-carbon-management-plan.md) — Edinburgh is embedding carbon reporting into cultural funding, with its arts sector cutting emissions, trialling climate innovations, and influencing policy to help drive the city’s net zero transition.
- [Tourism Tax: Edinburgh is introducing the UK’s first Visitor Levy](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/edinburgh-visitor-levy.md) — From July 2026, Edinburgh will introduce the UK’s first Visitor Levy, generating sustainable funding for culture, heritage, infrastructure, and community wellbeing while promoting responsible tourism and strengthening the city’s global cultural leadership.
- [How London’s Creative Enterprise Zones are supporting artists](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/creative-enterprise-zones-london-cultural-policy.md) — Launched in 2017 by the Mayor of London, Creative Enterprise Zones (CEZs) safeguard affordable creative workspaces, foster cultural infrastructure, and expand access to creative careers. With 12 zones across 13 boroughs, the programme has supported over 1,000 training placements and helped grow creative businesses despite economic pressures. By embedding equity, sustainability, and economic strategy into cultural policy, Creative Enterprise Zones are shaping a more inclusive and resilient future for London’s creative economy.
- [Brussels by Night Enhancing safety for all](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/brussels-by-night-city-safety-strategy-2.md) — Launched in 2022, Brussels By Night demonstrates how city governments can transform nightlife safety through strategic partnerships with venue operators and city partners. Deploying incident response care teams at nighttime events, open air festivals and in nightlife districts has also helped prevent and manage gender-based and sexual violence, as well as drug and alcohol related incidents – while preserving vibrant nightlife culture and creating a safer nighttime economy.
- [Art for All: Amateurs and established artists participate in annual Brussels Carte de Visite art exhibition  ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/brussels-carte-de-visite-artopenkunst-art-exhibition-2.md) — Launched in 2014, Brussels' collaborative, free and participatory art exhibition Carte de Visite | ArtOpenkunst has been showcasing hundreds of amateur and established artists every year. It has made art creation, exhibition and appreciation accessible to all. Since 2020, artists have competed for the Prix de la CENTRALE to exhibit their work together at CENTRALE, one of Brussels’ most important venues for international and local contemporary art.
- [Honouring the Dead: Community-led remembrance in the heart of Brussels  ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/dia-de-muertos-in-brussels-cultural-participation-2.md) — Día de Muertos in Marolles is a community-driven festival in Brussels that blends Mexican tradition with local creativity to honour the dead through inclusive public rituals. Supported by the City of Brussels, it features workshops, concerts, and a large public altar, fostering cultural participation and social cohesion. The event exemplifies how cultural infrastructure can support access for all and strengthen collective memory through vibrant, community-led cultural exchange.
- [Cologne joins World Cities Culture Forum](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/cologne-joins-world-cities-culture-forum.md) — Cologne, one of Germany's major cultural capitals, has joined World Cities Culture Forum’s network of 40+ cities. 

City leaders in Cologne will work alongside counterparts from more than 40 cities, including Bengaluru, Buenos Aires, Hamburg, London, New York and Tokyo to place culture at the heart of the city’s growth and investment.
- [Cologne](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/cologne.md) — Cologne is a hub for media innovation in the Rhineland, with prosperous film, broadcasting, games, design, and IT industries. Content creators, artists, creative entrepreneurs, e-sports professionals, industrial designers, and successful brands all drive the creative economy and shape the future of Cologne in unique ways. With a population of over one million people, the city punches above its weight with approximately 6,500 media and creative companies, generating €9.5 billion annually and employing roughly 60,000 people. 
- [Paris collaborates with Dakar to support the next generation of creative entrepreneurs](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/paris-collaborates-with-dakar-to-support-the-next-generation-of-creative-entrepreneurs.md) — From training robotics in schools to offering free workspace, the Teranga Tech Incub' is a network of incubator spaces to help young entrepreneurs flourish in Sénégal. It was launched in 2018 by The French Embassy in Sénégal through the Institut Francais du Sénégal, the governmental organisation supporting French language and culture internationally.
- [Kyiv’s cultural resistance: Culture inspiring hope, resilience and recovery](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/kyivs-cultural-resistance-culture-inspiring-hope-resilience-and-recovery.md) — Two years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we explore the role of the ‘cultural front’ in protecting heritage, documenting the war and providing hope for the future
- [How the world's oldest transport network is changing to embrace cultural diversity in London](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/how-the-worlds-oldest-transport-network-is-changing-to-embrace-cultural-diversity.md) — London has updated its famous transport map to reflect it's rich cultural diversity after engaging with communities.
- [Public art and conversation: Dublin's approach to embracing diversity](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/public-art-conversation-dublins-approach-to-embracing-diversity.md) — Dublin’s population has become more diverse in recent years.  However, it was quickly identified by The Dublin Place Brand Team that the growing diversity of those living in the city was not reflected in imagery representing the local area. This included stock images held for public use on free or paid for download sites.
- [From market to melting pot: how Brunnenpassage builds community through street culture](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/vienna-brunnenpassage.md) — Located in one of Vienna’s busiest street markets, Brunnenpassage stages around 400 events and 100 projects a year that are geared towards acclimatising newcomers to the city.
- [Design thinking shapes the future of İstanbul's neighbourhoods](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/tak-kartal.md) — Tasarım Atolyesi Kartal (‘Design Atelier Kartal’– abbreviated as TAK Kartal) is a creative innovation space that brings together Kartal residents, designers, volunteers, students and supporters to collaboratively create ideas and products for the public good, finding solutions that can improve the quality of life in Kartal
- [Kyiv Digital app: the smart way to access urban services](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/kyiv-digital.md) — Kyiv Digital is a mobile application created by the city in 2021. Working on the principle of "city in the
phone," it combines a number of city services, the number of which is constantly increasing. Kyiv plans to
make the application one of the main tools of communication between the city and citizens.
- [How old cinemas in Kyiv are being transformed into vibrant cultural hubs](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/kyiv-cultural-cluster.md) — The goal of the Kyiv Cultural Cluster is to transform the network of city cinemas into creative environments.
- [Leaving no on behind: Kyiv's path to accessible cultural institutions](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/nclusivity-of-cultural-institutions-a-space-of-equal-opportunities.md) — The issue of inclusive space is equally important for every society. However, for Ukraine, it has become acutely important due to the full-scale war, as the percentage of people with disabilities in the country is constantly growing.
- [From traffic jams to tranquil walkways: Oslo's blueprint for sustainable urban living](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/car-free-liveability-programme-a-step-towards-the-city-centre-of-the-future.md)
- [From canvas to concrete: the power of storytelling in Milan's street art](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/a-name-in-every-neighbourhood.md) — Milan wanted to bring together artists with local people to devise large-scale murals using the name of each area of the city. The varied artworks are also designed to act as a focal point for local identity and community.
- [How Milan's 'Accessible Present' event is driving a movement for diversity in the performing arts](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/presenti-accessibiliti-accessible-present.md) — Presenti Accessibili | Accessible Present took place from 27-29 April 2022 in Milan, offering workshops, meetings, and performances to raise awareness of accessibility in the performing arts for people with disabilities.
- [Redefining green space: Milan's botanical garden is a hub for creativity](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/milan-bam-biblioteca-alberi-the-trees-librarymilan.md) — The urban regeneration of the di Porta Nuova area began in 1999, with the creation of the Biblioteca Alberi Park in 2017 as its final stage. The 7,500 square meter green space was developed from scratch from bare earth, with a planting design based around three species of trees, that gives the area its name.
- [From dusk till dawn: expanding London's Night Time Enterprise Zone model](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/london-night-time-enterprise-zone-pilot-project.md) — Night Time Enterprise Zones are designed to support and grow the night time economy on local high streets or in town centres. In 2019, London Night Time Commission called for a Night Time Enterprise Zone fund for LOCAL boroughs AND a pilot project was launched by the Mayor of London which is now being expanded.
- [The resurgence of London: 'Let's do London' and its remarkable impact](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/lets-do-london.md) — The Mayor of London launched the ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign targeting Londoners, domestic day trippers and overnight stays. The aim was to inspire confidence, increase consumer spend Iand bring people back to experience London’s leisure, retail and culture to drive recovery.
- [From vandalism to legitimate art: Lisbon's inspiring transformation](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/lisbon-urban-art-gallery.md) — Urban Art Gallery aims to continue to expand street art’s reach throughout the city, giving street artists more spaces to work.
- [How Lisbon's festival of politics bridges the gap between arts and politics](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/lisbon-festival-of-politicslisbon.md) — The Festival of Politics is a two day programme of debates, workshops, films, art, music and children’s activities, aimed at increasing political engagement, as well as encouraging social change and critical thinking.
- [İstanbul's historical gem: Beyoğlu culture route raises awareness of city heritage](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/istanbul-beyoglu-culture-route.md) — The Beyoğlu Culture Route, developed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is a major project that aims to highlight and share Turkey’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage with future generations.
- [What role does the Helsinki Model play in diversifying arts and culture across the Helsinki neighbourhoods?](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/helsinki-model-and-the-malmi-district.md) — The Helsinki Model is a model for participatory local cultural work aiming to increase the accessibility of culture for all the inhabitants of the city.
- [Why children's culture is being integrated with educational and social services in Helsinki's cultural development](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/helsinki-art-and-culture-in-helsinki-2030.md) — In August 2020, the City of Helsinki published its vision for art and culture – Art and Culture in Helsinki 2030.
- [Apathy to art: how Oslo's 'Keys to the City' unlocks artistic potential](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/oslo-keys-to-the-city-2.md) — Oslo’s cultural institutions offer its citizens a wide array of events and experiences, but some audience demographics rarely take advantage of them. The Keys to the City project targets groups of 15-25 year olds living in Oslo and the surrounding region, inviting them to develop a deeper relationship with cultural institutions, and get a better understanding of the range of careers in the sector.
- [Graffiti to gallery: Paris feeds young minds with 'Art to Grow Up'](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/paris-art-to-grow-up.md) — A priority for the City of Paris is to support cultural access for all from an early age. Thirteen years ago, the City, in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Department of School Affairs, developed the “Art to Grow Up programme”.
- [Funding the future: 'FoRTE' supports young creative talent in Paris](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/paris-regional-fund-for-emerging-talent.md) — The Regional Fund for Emerging Talent (FoRTE) aims to support artists and creators as they develop their professional careers. Young creative talent is essential for the cultural and economic success of Paris and the Île-de-France region, but they often struggle.
- [Saving the planet one prop at a time: Stockholm's material magasinet's challenge](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/stockholm-material-magasinet.md) — Stockholm’s Material Magasinet (Material Storehouse) is attempting to address the excess of waste produced by cultural sector activity. The storehouse is diverting tonnes of material waste from landfills by giving cultural organisations a place to donate, reuse and upcycle materials, props and furniture.
- [Art meets architecture: fusing Stockholm's cultural heritage](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/stockholm-cultural-heritage-in-urban-planning.md) — The City is continually working to embed cultural heritage as part of current and future development activity. The City’s Culture Department is the cities expert on cultural landscape and heritage and referral body in city planning projects.
- [Where art, politics and social change converge in Vienna: WUK performing arts](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/vienna-wuk-performing-arts.md) — WUK performing arts is a programmatic area of the WUK: a state-funded art and culture hub spanning 12,000 square metres in an ex-locomotive factory in Vienna’s eighth district, which has come to symbolise the essence of the city’s youth culture.
- [Culture revealed: an indispensable online guide for Warsaw's cultural community](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/city-wide-platform-for-culture-online.md) — In September 2021, the City of Warsaw launched a new platform co-financed with the Andrzej Wajda Centre for Film Culture.
- [Cultural catalyst: Warsaw empowers NGO's for social change](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/cultural-catalysts-how-warsaw-empowers-ngos-for-social-change.md) — In 2018 the City of Warsaw announced an open competition for NGOs to address social issues through culture.
- [Saving the arts: Zürich supports the cultural sector during the pandemic](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/securing-the-future-of-artists-how-zurich-supported-the-arts-community-post-pandemic.md) — The City of Zurich created a temporary Covid Working Grant to help creatives through a difficult period and retain their talent in the sector.
- [How Dublin is shaping its civic soul through cultural engagement](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/culture-connects-dublins-community-created-outlets.md) — Making cultural offerings appealing and more accessible to residents to  ensure engagement and ongoing participation.
- [How Barcelona is pioneering new cultural policy by embedding cultural rights](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/cultural-rights-nurturing-cultural-grassroots.md) — Barcelona is pioneering cultural policy in its cultural sector and promoting the right to produce and access culture freely across the city. 
- [Museums reconnect Barcelona's elderly community with cultural treasures](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/el-museu-sapropra-museum-approaches.md) — To tackle feelings of loneliness and isolation felt by older people living in Barcelona's nursing homes, a programme is facilitating access to cultural experiences for vulnerable people.
- [Dublin's international literary award: how a global network of 400 libraries contributes](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/dublin-literary-award-establishing-an-international-network.md) — Dublin's Literary Award is enabling global participation, not just for authors and audiences but for libraries too.
- [Fuelling Edinburgh's artistic fire: how Edinburgh is meeting artist's needs](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/creating-edinburgh-performing-arts-development-epad.md) — Edinburgh's performers lacked a community network to enable them to share knowledge and support each other. A council funded programme is connecting the city's artists and helping them to fullfll their potential.
- [Embracing cultural diversity: how 'Enter Festival BXL' engaged citizens in Brussels](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/enter-festival-bxl.md) — As Brussels diversifies, its cultural offering diversifies too. It is important not to programme cultural work that reduces people only to their ethnic, cultural and religious background.s.
- [Why Brussels is redefining urban art as an expression of freedom and inclusivity](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/urban-and-public-art-in-brussels.md) — A pioneering approach to enabling a lively street art scene, ranging from music to contemporary sculpture, festivals, events, performance art and graffiti.
- [A new tune: policymakers collaborate with the live music scene to future-proof the sector](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/edinburghs-live-music-revival-music-is-audible.md) — With music venues closing, the live music community in Edinburgh needed support to enable a thriving live music scene and encourage a more supportive environment for live events.
- [Kyiv](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/kyiv.md) — Being a hospitable city Kyiv is the perfect place to host global entertainment events: starting from ATLAS Weekend, Moto Open Fest, Kyiv Art Week, Kyiv Light Fest beloved by Kyiv citizens to the final of the EURO 2012 European Football Championship and the international Eurovision Song Contest in 2005 and 2017.
- [INFRASTRUCTURE](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/infrastructure.md)
- [TRENDS](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/trends.md) — The City of Warsaw is strengthening cooperation between the local government and non-governmental organisations, and across the cultural ecosystem.
- [INFRASTRUCTURE](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/infrastructure.md) — There are a number of new infrastructure projects underway, such as the new centrally located site of the Museum of Modern Art (MSN), a large drama theatre, TR Warszawa and the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra.
- [Lisbon](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/lisbon.md) — Encouraging the growth of art, technology, and other creative industries in Lisbon was a key part of Portugal’s response to the 2010 financial crisis, along with using culture to encourage greater civic engagement.
- [London](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/london.md) — The Mayor's 2018 Culture Strategy, titled 'Culture for All Londoners,' placed cultural inclusion at the core of its vision. This strategy encompasses four key priorities: enabling more citizens to experience and engage in culture within their local communities, providing support for the preservation and sustainability of cultural spaces, investing in a diverse creative workforce for the future, and positioning London as a global creative powerhouse.
- [İstanbul](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/istanbul.md) — Istanbul is immensely rich in cultural heritage, and the historic peninsula of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Some landmarks date back to Roman times, including the monumental Valens Aqueduct. However, buildings from the Byzantine and Ottoman eras dominate the city's skyline.
- [Helsinki](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/helsinki.md) — The city centre has transformed into a vibrant cultural hub, featuring attractions like the new Central Library Oodi, art museums such as Kiasma, Amos Rex, and Helsinki Art Museum (HAM), as well as concert and event venues like Musiikkitalo, Opera, and Finlandia Hall, all located within a one-square-kilometre area.
- [Hamburg](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/hamburg.md) — Hamburg boasts an impressive array of cultural institutions, with over 300 in total. Among them, the renowned Elbphilharmonie Hamburg stands out. Opened in 2017, this concert hall is perched on the banks of the River Elbe, at the tip of the HafenCity district, in close proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage site 'Speicherstadt with Kontorhaus district and Chilehaus.'
- [Edinburgh](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/edinburgh.md) — Scotland's visitor attractions received over 30 million visits in 2017, with seven of the top 10 most visited attractions located in Edinburgh, including renowned sites like Edinburgh Castle and the National Museum of Scotland. The city is also home to three National Galleries and the National War Museum
- [Closing the digital divide: Stockholm's innovative arts education initiative](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/kulturskolan-stockholm-a-digital-school-of-the-arts.md) — Addressing the new for digital equity with arts education, EKulturskolan Stockholm is extending the digital arts education offering for younger residents.
- [A city for all: Vienna's vision for inclusive cultural participation](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/kulturpass-hunger-for-art-and-culture.md) — To encourage more access to Vienna's cultural offerings, The Kulturpass offers socially disadvantaged people free admission to numerous cultural institutions.
- [Here's how Warsaw's community is mobilising for climate action ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/culture-for-climate-collective.md) — Addressing the climate crisis is an urgent priority for the City of Warsaw. This commitment is integrated into the city's key strategic documents, including the Warsaw 2020 Strategy and Cultural Policy.
- [A stage for all: Zürich introduces transparent funding model with Kultur labour](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/culture-laboratory-zurich.md) — To diversify performing arts offerings, a new funding format has created a collaborative process between artists and experts from science, society and research settings.
- [From trash to treasure: how cultural venues in Paris are embracing the circular economy](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/circular-economy-and-the-cultural-sector.md)
- [Lights, camera, emissions: Oslo's art sector tackles carbon footprints](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/green-producers-tool.md) — To create a carbon and climate footprint calculator, Oslo's arts production entities partnered with climate research specialists to create a carbon footprint calculator specifically designed for the sector.
- [Dementia friendly London: a game-changer for vulnerable residents](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/dementia-friendly-venues-charter.md) — The Mayor of London and the Alzheimer's Society launched the FIRST Dementia Friendly London initiative. The goal is to make London the world's first dementia-friendly capital city.
- [How a citizen-led project reconnects Lisbon's elderly with their communities](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/neighbourhood-lives-and-memories.md) — Reducing isolation and loneliness among the elderly population whilst gathering the history and memories of the city's older generation.
- [Music for peace: İstanbul's inclusive choir inspires harmony among youth](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/together-stronger-voices-choir-i.md) — Establishing a fully inclusive choir workshop experience for disadvantaged children and young people living in Istanbul.
- [The power of culture: parents praise Helsinki's Culture Kids programme](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/the-culture-kids-programme.md) — Establishing a city-wide programme that aims to engage with new audiences by pairing children with sponsors from the world of arts and culture.
- [Herzog & de Meuron elevated Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie to global prominence](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/elbphilharmonie-hamburg.md) — How Hamburg created landmark concert hall The Elbphilhamonie within an existing heritage building, creating a new iconic focal point for the city's cultural scene.
- [From Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to The Marriage of Figaro: dementia-friendly performances in Edinburgh](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/forget-me-not-dementia-friendly-communities-project.md) — Edinburgh is opening hearts and minds by creating a supportive performance environment for audiences living with dementia.
- [Integration and solidarity: Cinemaximiliaan's initiative helps Brussels refugee communities](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/cinemaximiliaan.md) — Most refugees lived in makeshift tents and shelters in Maximiliaan Park in the Northern Quarter. At its height, the park became home to more than 1,000 people waiting to register with the Belgian Immigration Department. A project was needed to offer refugees communities support through culture.
- [Transformative partnerships: Barcelona brokers relationships between schools and culture and the culture sector](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/school-in-residence-programme.md) — To increase participation of young people in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, the Schools in Residence programme promotes the connection between culture and education within local secondary schools.
- [Why new funding models are strengthening the performing arts of Zürich](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/concept-funding-revitalising-zurichs-dance-and-theatre-scene.md) — The City plans to radically overhaul its funding with a new grants system from 2024, as well as creating some targeted networks and funding pots to fill gaps in sector development support.
- [Amsterdam's new vision for creative entrepreneurs through incubator schemes](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/art-up-incubator-to-creative-entrepreneurs.md) — ART-UP is a business incubator tailored for cultural entrepreneurs, helping creative small businesses to develop a plan for success and expansion, over a concentrated three-month programme.
- [Breaking down barriers: how the 'ACCESS' programme helps promote culture for all](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/access-culture-for-all.md) — This international collaboration included included Amsterdam, Dublin, Lisbon, London, Sofia, Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius, this network  collaborated, to understand how to make cultural policymaking accessible for every citizen.
- [Why Amsterdam's night-time economy needs protecting and promoting](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/night-vision-the-night-has-the-future.md) — Amsterdam has always been renowned for its nightlife, from its underground scene to world famous nightclubs, parties and festivals. The night scene has also been a place where collaboration and new artforms have often evolved
- [TRENDS](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/amsterdam-cultural-trends.md) — Latest cultural trends in the City of Amsterdam
- [Oslo](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/oslo.md) — The intersection between the city and the natural environment has always been a focal point for cultural and other projects, but it has taken on new urgency and comprehensiveness due to the climate emergency.
- [Paris](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/paris.md)
- [Stockholm](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/stockholm.md) — Stockholm has emerged as one of Europe's most successful startup and cultural entrepreneurship hubs, home to renowned companies like Spotify, Skype, Klarna, and King. In fact, Stockholm boasts the world's second-highest number of 'unicorn' tech companies per capita, trailing only Silicon Valley.
- [Vienna](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/vienna.md) — With nearly 30% of its current residents born outside of Austria, Vienna has become an attractive destination for expatriates, owing to its robust public resources, engaged public, and overall quality of life (it was ranked the most liveable city out of 140 cities surveyed by The Economist's 2018 Global Liveability Index).
- [Warsaw](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/warsaw.md) — Warsaw is the hub of the country's creative industries, encompassing audio-visual, gaming, and music sectors, attracting diverse professional talent and leadership.
- [Zürich](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/zurich.md) — Zurich boasts established cultural institutions, including renowned museums like Kunsthaus Zürich, chamber and symphony orchestras such as Tonhalle Zürich, and significant theatres like Schauspielhaus Zürich, Theater Neumarkt, and Gessnerallee
- [Amsterdam](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/amsterdam.md) — Over the last two decades, Amsterdam has invested extensively in cultural infrastructure. More than 25 institutions have been built, rebuilt or refurbished, including the central public library, the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum, Hermitage Amsterdam and the De La Mar theatre. Much of this was financed via public-private partnerships.
- [Barcelona](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/barcelona.md) — Barcelona holds the title of a UNESCO City of Literature, reflecting its longstanding association with international publishing. The city's 41 libraries serve as central cultural hubs, drawing 6.4 million visitors annually. Additionally, Barcelona boasts 59 theatres and 57 museums scattered throughout its streets.
- [Brussels](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/brussels.md) — The City of Brussels is the largest municipality and historical centre of the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as the capital of the Flemish Region and Belgium. The City of Brussels is also the administrative centre of the European Union.
- [Dublin](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/dublin.md) — Dublin's modern economy is heavily influenced by its capacity to attract international business, with 250 global financial institutions and nine of the top ten global ICT (Information and Communication Technology) companies currently based there. The city's cultural infrastructure includes an impressive lineup of 62 museums, 51 public libraries, three universities, and 53 art galleries.
- [Milan](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/milan.md) — The city administration not only owns but also directly manages several cultural sites, including more than 20 museums, 35 libraries, and other cultural centres. However, private stakeholders, especially in visual arts and entertainment, including theatres, also have substantial ownership. Major economic entities, such as banks and insurance companies, invest in sponsoring the city's cultural activities.
- [KYIV JOINS THE WORLD CITIES CULTURE FORUM](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/kyiv-joins-the-world-cities-culture-forum.md) — City leaders to learn from Kyiv’s resilience in response to crisis as Ukraine's capital joins the World Cities Culture Forum.
- [GLOBAL COLLABORATION: HELSINKI SUMMIT 2022 TACKLES POST-COVID CHALLENGES](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/world-cities-culture-forum-summit-2022.md) — Helsinki hosted the World Cities Culture Summit 2022, bringing together delegates from over 40 cities to discuss how government policy can address local and global challenges within the culture sector.