About the Leadership Exchange Programme
The Leadership Exchange Programme connects cultural city leaders across the globe to share solutions with a track record of success. We accelerate learning and drive change.
About the Leadership Exchange Programme
Good ideas spread, and the Leadership Exchange Programme ensures they do. Through city study visits, cultural leaders have the chance to observe policy in action, learning what works, and returning home with practical ideas ready to implement.
Supported by:
Round 3 — in progress
Seven exchanges — 2026
Exchanges are taking place throughout 2026, with learnings to be shared at the 15th World Cities Culture Summit in Tokyo.
How to build a resilient night-time economy
Amsterdam, Cologne, Dubai, Guangzhou, London, San Francisco, Stockholm, Toronto
How to develop the silver economy
Guangzhou, London
How to rethink commemoration in urban spaces
Amsterdam, Kyiv, London, New York, Warsaw
How to support the creative economy workforce
Boston, São Paulo
How to co-create public art
Jakarta, Milan
How to pedestrianise the high street
Barcelona, London
How to grow a successful film city
Chicago, London, Los Angeles (City and County), Montréal, New York, Toronto, Vancouver
Round 2
Seven exchanges — 2021–2023
How to make culture count: innovations in mapping data
Amsterdam, Austin, Barcelona, Chengdu, London, Los Angeles, Milan, Montreal and Stockholm
How to design art biennales with civic participation
Warsaw and Lagos
How to decentralise culture
Montréal and Lisbon
How to hardwire affordable space in the city’s growth
Austin, Sydney and Melbourne
How to deliver equity and inclusion within a cultural Olympiad
Los Angeles and Paris
How to protect culture at risk
London and New York
How to explore new funding models for culture
Vienna and Zurich
Round 1
Four exchanges — 2018–2020
How to grow affordable creative space
Amsterdam, Austin, London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney & Warsaw
How culture is helping drive zero-waste cities
New York and London
How to bring culture to people’s doorstep
Buenos Aires and London
How to reconcile with indigenous cultures
Toronto and Sydney
Impact case studies
IMPACT CASE STUDY 01
Creative Land Trusts
Securing affordable space for creatives — a movement that started in one city and now spans the globe.
Origin exchange: How to Grow Affordable Creative Space
Cities: Toronto (host), Amsterdam, Austin, London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney, Warsaw
Date: Round 1, 2018
The Impact
- London’s Creative Land Trust — inspired by Toronto and San Francisco’s CAST model — now owns 240 studios and continues to expand.
- Austin created a new Economic Development Corporation, launching a Creative Space Assistance Programme that has awarded funding to 65 creative spaces facing displacement.
- Sydney embedded a creative workspace target into its Community Strategic Plan and ran a six-month “Making Space for Culture” incubation programme.
- In 2025, WCCF convened 20 cities at the first-ever Creative Land Trust Summit in San Francisco, with a companion webinar reaching 150+ cities worldwide.
- More than 14 cities are now looking to replicate the model globally.
By the Numbers
- 240 — studios secured by London’s Creative Land Trust
- £7M+ — investment secured in London alone
- 14+ — cities now replicating the model
IMPACT CASE STUDY 02
ReStage London
Building a zero-waste economy for the UK’s stage and screen sector.
Origin exchange: How Culture is Helping Drive Zero-Waste Cities
Cities: New York (host), London
Date: Round 1, 2018
The Impact
- Inspired by a 2018 visit to New York’s Materials for the Arts — which diverts almost 1,000 tonnes of waste from landfill every year.
- London co-founded ReStage with the GLA and the National Theatre, creating a dedicated reuse hub for theatre and screen production materials.
- A network of creative and circular hubs is now spreading across the UK.
- ReStage has published a 10-year roadmap to boost reuse and recycling and build a creative industry designed to last.
By the Numbers
- 152K — tonnes of reusable creative-sector material lost annually in the UK
- 800K — tonnes more lost each year from film & screen
- 10-yr — roadmap now published by ReStage
IMPACT CASE STUDY 03
Olympic Cities
A creative collaboration between Olympic host cities — Paris and Los Angeles.
Origin exchange: How to Deliver Equity and Inclusion within a Cultural Olympiad
Cities: Los Angeles ↔ Paris
Date: Round 2, 2023
The Impact
- Sparked an ongoing creative collaboration between Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 — the first partnership of its kind between Olympic host cities.
- Seeded a formal Memorandum of Understanding between Paris, LA City, LA County and Seine-Saint-Denis.
- WCCF convened a public webinar bringing together five former Olympic host cities — London, Sydney, Tokyo, Los Angeles and Paris.
- Set out shared lessons for embedding culture across the full lifecycle of a Cultural Olympiad: before, during and after the Games.
By the Numbers
- 5 — Olympic host cities convened to share ideas
- 200+ — attendees from 20 cities at the WCCF webinar
- 1st — formal MOU between Olympic host cities
IMPACT CASE STUDY 04
Reconciliation Action Plans
Boosting investment in reconciliation and Indigenous culture, from Sydney to Toronto.
Origin exchange: How to Reconcile with Indigenous Cultures
Cities: Sydney ↔ Toronto
Date: Round 1, 2019
The Impact
- Inspired by the exchange, Toronto launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan — described by participants as career-defining.
- Sydney’s Reconciliation Action Plan budget grew more than threefold, from $5 million (2013) to $17 million (2022).
- Major new public art commissions from Indigenous artists followed in both cities, including Toronto’s landmark monument project inspired by Sydney’s collaboration with artist Tony Albert.
- Toronto City Council’s proceedings now open in three languages — English, French and Ojibwe.
By the Numbers
- $5M → $17M — growth in Sydney’s reconciliation budget, 2013–2022
- 1st — Reconciliation Action Plan launched by Toronto
- 3 — languages now used to open Toronto Council
IMPACT CASE STUDY 05
Culture at Risk Office
Protecting cherished cultural venues and organisations — from London to New York.
Origin exchange: How to Protect Culture at Risk
Cities: London (host), New York
Date: Round 2, 2023
The Impact
- Inspired by London’s Culture at Risk Office (established 2016), which helped 200+ spaces in its first year.
- New York committed in its 2022 Economic Recovery Plan to replicate the model — establishing North America’s first-ever Culture at Risk Office.
- New York built a cross-departmental structure from the outset, spanning culture, economic development, planning and transport for greater efficiency.
- Participants visited at-risk London venues and Creative Enterprise Zones, including Brixton, Somerset House Studios and Hackney Wick.
By the Numbers
- 200+ — spaces helped by London’s office in year one
- 1st — Culture at Risk Office in North America
- 33 — London boroughs the office works with
IMPACT CASE STUDY 06
A Theatre in Each Neighbourhood
Decentralising culture and bringing it to every corner of the city — Lisbon and Montreal.
Origin exchange: How to Decentralise Culture
Cities: Lisbon ↔ Montreal
Date: Round 2, 2022
The Impact
- Inspired by Montreal’s cultural quarters approach, Lisbon developed its ‘A Theatre in Each Neighbourhood’ programme.
- Culture is now embedded in Lisbon’s Multiannual Investment Plan 2023–2027.
- Montreal, in turn, wove Lisbon’s citizen-centred approach into its new Cultural Development Policy.
- Inspired by Lisbon’s Urban Art Gallery, Montreal piloted a project using mural art to engage people experiencing homelessness.
By the Numbers
- 2-way — exchange, each city adopting the other’s model
- 2023–27 — Lisbon’s Multiannual Investment Plan now includes culture
- 1 — new citizen-centred Cultural Development Policy, Montreal
