---
title: Cultural Policy
type: taxonomy_archive
taxonomy: topic
slug: cultural-policy
term_id: 679
permalink: "https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/topic/cultural-policy/"
post_count: 31
---

# Cultural Policy

Posts in this archive: 31

- [Jakarta overtakes Tokyo as the world's most populous city](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/jakarta-overtakes-tokyo-as-the-worlds-most-populous-city.md)
- [How Chicago embedded equity and worker protection into the city’s cultural policy framework ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/chicago-art-is-labor-campaign.md)
- [Healing Arts Chicago: Embedding creativity in community health ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/healing-arts-chicago.md) — Through cross-sector partnership between city culture, health and labour departments, Healing Arts Chicago has trained local artists as certified Community Health Workers through training at City Colleges of Chicago and through apprenticeships.
- [Culture After Dark: Three Ways Cities Are Supercharging the Night-Time Economy](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/culture-after-dark-three-ways-cities-are-supercharging-the-night-time-economy.md) — Cities from Guangzhou to Toronto are increasingly placing culture at the heart of their night-time economies. Our 5th Edition World Cities Culture Report  shows that what was once an overlooked policy area is now firmly mainstream: 97% of cities are actively supporting night-time initiatives.
- [Creatividad, Cultura e Innovación en Las Ciudades Iberoamericanas](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/publication/creatividad-cultura-e-innovacion-en-las-ciudades-iberoamericanas.md) — Creatividad, Cultura e Innovación en Las Ciudades Iberoamericanas (Creativity, Culture and Innovation in Ibero-American Cities) showcases how cities in Latin America are placing culture at the heart of urban development to safeguard heritage, protect cultural rights, and promote access to culture. 
- [5th World Cities Culture Report Reveals Culture Is Driving Urban Innovation Worldwide](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/launch-world-cities-culture-report-5th.md) — New report shows cultural participation is rebounding strongly, creative spaces are being protected, and the night-time economy has become a mainstream policy focus for global cities.
- [Blueprint for Cultural Policy](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/report/blueprint-for-cultural-policy.md) — Key cultural policy challenges that cities are addressing in 2025 and the solutions they are using
- [UNESCO Site: Restoring and safeguarding Beijing’s Central Axis](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/beijing-central-axis-cultural-policy-2.md) — In 2024, Beijing’s Central Axis was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, marking a cultural policy milestone in China. This historic urban spine showcases imperial planning traditions and blends conservation science, regulatory reform, digital innovation, and civic participation. From volunteer patrols to interactive technology, the project has preserved centuries-old heritage while improving the districts along the Axis – reinforcing community engagement and promoting international cultural dialogue.
- [Ancient Made New: Beijing’s Intangible Cultural Heritage is at the heart of global exchange and tourism boost](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/beijing-intangible-cultural-heritage-policy-2.md) — Beijing is home to 447 intangible cultural heritage projects. Thirteen – including silk weaving, tea etiquette and shadow puppetry – are on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the most in China. Leveraging these unique cultural assets, Beijing launched the first International Week of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2023;and opened the Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Centre in 2024. Both have enabled Beijing to increase public engagement and boost inbound tourism.
- [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. 
- [Inclusive Public Art: Los Angeles’ Public Artists in Development programme for underrepresented artists ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/los-angeles-county-public-artists-in-development.md) — In 2023, Los Angeles County’s Civic Art Division launched Public Artists in Development (PAiD), a new initiative funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Through funding, apprenticeships and professional development, it directly addresses the lack of equitable representation in public art by investing in the participation of underrepresented artists – including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, self-taught, and emerging artists. It offers a replicable model to diversify and democratise access to public commissions.
- [Creative Strategists: Integrating artist residencies into Los Angeles County governance and initiatives](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/los-angeles-creative-strategist-programme.md) — Los Angeles County's Creative Strategist Programme embeds artists within government departments to address civic challenges through creative strategies. Since 2018, 12 artists have collaborated with various departments, enhancing public engagement, cultural participation, and equity. Their work demonstrates the value of integrating arts into governance, fostering innovation, and promoting inclusive policies that reflect the diverse communities of Los Angeles County.
- [A Voice for Youth in Montréal](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/montreal-youth-participation-in-cultural-policy.md) — Montréal is embedding youth perspectives into cultural policymaking through two initiatives: 'A Library That Looks Like Me' and the 'Manifesto of Montréal Youth for the Arts and Culture'. These programmes invite children and teens to co-design library services and contribute ideas to cultural policy. By giving young people a stronger voice, the city is fostering inclusive participation and ensuring that cultural strategies reflect the needs and aspirations of the next generation.
- [Cultural Appreciation: How Nanjing is integrating aesthetic education into urban life](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/nanjing-social-aesthetic-education-initiative.md) — In 2024, Nanjing launched a cultural strategy focused on three areas: revitalising public spaces, nurturing humanistic aesthetic values, and promoting city-wide aesthetic awareness. 53 projects were piloted to engage citizens with art and beauty through public space revitalization, evening classes, and cultural programming. Supported by digital campaigns and volunteer networks, the initiative enhances cultural wellbeing and offers a replicable model for embedding aesthetic education into urban policy and city planning.
- [Celebrating 20 years of São Paulo’s VAI programme ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/sao-paulo-vai-programme-for-cultural-inclusion.md) — 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Programa para a Valorização de Iniciativas Culturais (Valuation of Cultural Initiatives) (VAI) in São Paulo, one of Brazil’s most influential municipal cultural policies. Created in 2005, the VAI Programme has funded over 3,200 cultural projects by low-income youth and collectives in peripheral areas of the city – democratising access to funding, stimulating local cultural activity, and addressing structural inequalities in São Paulo’s cultural landscape.
- [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.
- [Creative Placemaking: How Sydney embedded public art into new developments](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/sydney-public-art-in-new-development.md) — Since 2011, Sydney’s City Art Strategy has embedded high-quality public art into new private developments, guided by the city’s planning system and its Sustainable Sydney 2030-2050 vision. Developments over AUD 10 are required to incorporate public art and encouraged to allocate a minimum budget of 1% of construction costs, with support from a dedicated public art team and advisory panel. Over 750 public art plans have been submitted, enabling hundreds of artists to contribute to Sydney’s cultural landscape through collaborative, site-specific works.
- [Revitalising Cultural Heriatage: Taipei’s Old House Cultural Movement Project ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/taipei-old-house-cultural-movement-project.md) — Launched in 2013, Taipei’s Old House Cultural Movement Project is a pioneering public–private platform revitalising derelict cultural heritage sites through corporate investment and creative reuse. By offering rent discounts and tax exemptions linked to restoration work, the city incentivises long-term stewardship. With over USD 21 million in private investment by 2024, restored sites now house bookstores, theatres, creative hubs, and wellness centres, preserving heritage while integrating it into vibrant contemporary life.
- [Cultural Strategy: Toronto’s Culture Connects 2025-2035 plan](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/torontos-culture-connects-2025-2035-strategy.md) — In 2024, the City of Toronto launched Culture Connects: An Action Plan for Culture (2025–2035) to redefine how culture is supported, experienced, and valued across the city. Developed in response to significant shifts in Toronto’s social and cultural landscape, the plan sets out a 10-year vision to ensure that everyone in Toronto has the opportunity to create, engage with, and feel a sense of belonging in the city’s cultural life.
- [How Toronto responded to the insolvency of Toronto Artscape Inc.](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/toronto-artscape-insolvency-response.md) — In 2023, the collapse of non-profit developer Artscape threatened 14 affordable cultural properties and nearly 400 tenancies. The City of Toronto responded with swift legal, operational, and financial action - securing a court ruling to protect 91% of tenancies from sale and providing emergency property management. Working with community partners, the City mobilised to save the remaining 9% of tenancies, enabling tenant-led ownership of key sites and backing Canada’s first cultural land trust. The intervention preserved critical infrastructure and created a new model for cultural resilience.
- [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.
- [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.
- [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.
- [Barcelona’s Night Commissioner Alcaldessa de Nit](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/barcelona-night-commissioner-acaldessa-de-nit.md) — In early 2025, Barcelona City Council appointed its first Alcaldessa de Nit (Night Commissioner), aligning the city with international best practice in night-time governance and positioning it as the first municipality in Spain to adopt this model.
- [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.
- [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.
- [Arts Councils: How New York expanded cultural equity by boosting funding to borough-based arts programming ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/funding-new-york-city-arts-councils.md) — To address cultural inequities and affordability challenges, NYC's Department of Cultural Affairs increased funding for local arts councils through the Greater New York Arts Development Fund. By distributing $3.4 million to local arts councils in 2024, the fund has supported over 650 artists and arts organizations across the five boroughs. This investment expands access to the arts in underserved communities and reinforces NYC’s identity as a hub of inclusive cultural creation.
- [Public Artists in Residence: Embedding creativity in New York City government ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/nyc-pair-public-artists-in-residence.md) — New York City’s Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) programme embeds artists within city agencies to address urgent civic issues through creative collaboration. Launched in 2015, the initiative has tackled challenges such as racial equity, discrimination, and youth detention by integrating artistic thinking into public policy. With residencies spanning city departments, PAIR helps generate innovative solutions, strengthen community engagement, and reimagine the role of art in public service and city governance.