7th: Faro (Portugal), 2021

Culture as sustainable development

The Conference

Our last meeting in person was in Lithuania, in late autumn 2019. Then, because of the pandemic, we had to cancel four meetings: Oulu and Leeds in 2020, Trencin and Cluj in 2021. But two years later, here we meet again.

These two years have shown what are some of the contributions of culture to sustainability, but they have also shown how weak is the sustainability of culture. We meet in Faro, Portugal, to discuss all these and to find ways to look at culture as sustainable development in our cities.
For this we will have a look at the new UNESCO methodology for culture as sustainable development: 20+ sets of indicators to help us measure the impact that culture has on each of the Sustainable Development Goals. We will discuss our possibilities to implement this methodology in the Culture Next cities in order to create and run cultural strategies in direct connection with the SDGs.
The Faro meeting is also a turning point in the network’s development: with an increased membership, we will discuss ways to improve our collaboration and we will launch the first major projects of Culture Next: the Cities Fund for Culture and the ECoC Archive.
Last but not least, the Faro meeting is where we see each other again for the first time in a long while. As always, we will know exactly what to do with the time we get to share together, day and night.

Culture Next

Culture Next is an informal, friendly and relaxed network dedicated to mutual support and collaboration between European cities which are current or former candidates for the European Capital of Culture title, awarded or not.

Seven years after its founding în Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Culture Next involves around 40 cities on the continent. În 2021 the network received a grant from the Creative Europe programme of the European Commission to scale-up Culture Next and improve its capacity to work with more European cities.

Interested to become a member?

Register now

Member Cities

Our members are cities or organizations representing various cities: former and future title holders, cities which continued their cultural programmes even without being selected aș ECoCs and cities which intend to do this.

Many of our members represent cities which are current candidates, interested în developing European connection and sustainable cultural programmes which can be implemented independently of the jury decision.

Registrations Closed

Useful information

Accommodation: Hotel Faro
Adress: Praça D. Francisco Gomes, nº 2, 8000-168 Faro Portugal
Website: www.hotelfaro.pt
Promo Code for CultureNext Reservations: CAPEUR21
Single room price: € 65.00
Price in a double room: € 75.00

Meeting Agenda

Day 1

Wednesday, November 24th

4 PM - 7 PM
ARRIVAL & WELCOME FOOD AND DRINKS

Welcome to all the participants in the meeting

@Hotel Faro

7:30 PM - 9 PM
WELCOME DINNER

Dinner with typical Algarvian dinner

@Restaurant in downtown

9 PM
FREE TIME

Day 2

Thursday, November 25th

9:00 - 10:30AM

WELCOME FROM THE HOSTS
Where we are, small introduction about Faro city and Algarve

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO & WHAT’S NEW IN CN
Welcome and introduction of the meeting by the Secretariat.
Briefing about the previous meetings, updates about the network, what do we need to get from this meeting.
Relevant news from members.

WHO’S WHO & WHO’S NEW
Round presentation of everyone in the meeting.
Presentations from newcomers and Q&A.

10:30-11:00AM
COFFEE BREAK
PUBLIC SESSION

WITH LOCAL & REGIONAL CULTURAL AGENTS

11:00-12:00AM
KEYNOTE "UNESCO CULTURE 2030 INDICATORS"

Ms. Jyoti Hosagrahar, Deputy Director of the World Heritage
Centre, UNESCO *online

@LIVE STREAMING

11:30-12:00PM
PANEL DISCUSSION "CN CITIES AND SDG'S"

Representatives from Eleusis 2023, Faro PEC & Elvas *online

@LIVE STREAMING

12:00 - 1:00PM
OPEN WORKSHOPS (IN PARALLEL)

WS 1: SDG, Culture & Tourism in transition
Alexandra Gonçalves, Director of ESGHT UAlg
Case study of “CREATOUR ALGARVE – Creative Tourism Destination
Development in Small Cities and Rural Areas”

WS 2: SDG, Culture & Digital transition
Tiago Candeias, Faro2027 project manager, &
Miguela Fernandes, Minecraft Education Trainer & Consultant
Case study of “MI.MOMO – Discovering the Modernist Architecture through Minecraft Education “

1:00 - 2:30PM
LUNCH & EXCHANGE WITH LOCAL CULTURAL AGENTS

Buffet with Algarvian delicacies
Interaction between the CN members and the local and
regional cultural agents

2:30 - 3:30PM
FFICIAL LAUNCHING "CULTURE NEXT CITIES FUND FOR CULTURE"

International Press Conference
An innovative instrument to support artists built by the cities of this network

@LIVE STREAMING

4:00 - 5:30PM
BOAT TRIP IN RIA FORMOSA (lagoon)

Sustainable Development Goals in practice in Faro
– Mural “Olhar sobre a Ria”
– European pilot project on sustainable communities
– Other projects around Ria Formosa

5:30 - 7:30PM
FREE TIME
7:30 - 9:00PM
DINNER

@Local Restaurant

9 PM
CULTURAL PROGRAMME

(OPTIONAL)

Day 3

Friday, November 26th

9:00 - 10:00AM
GUIDED TOUR AROUND FARO OLD TOWN

(OPTIONAL)

10:00 - 11:00AM
CHILL OUT NETWORKING COFFEE
LIVE SESSION
09:30 - 10:30PM

KEY NOTE “IS THE ECOC PROJECT STILL RELEVANT?”
STEVE GREEN *online
Former Chairman of the
European Capital of Culture
Selection Panel

OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF “THE ECOC ARCHIVE”
A documentary based on European Capitals of Culture

PANEL DISCUSSION “ECOC OF THE FUTURE”
Representatives of 3 CN cities: former ECoC,
future ECoC, ECoC candidate

@LIVE STREAMING

1:00 - 2:00 PM
LUNCH FROM ALGARVE TO THE WORLD

From Cataplanas of Algarve to Cataplanas of the World. A pilot project of Faro2027

@Restaurant Tertúlia Algarvia

2:00 - 4:00PM
CULTURE NEXT MEETING

Development of network projects, actions and initiatives of the
network. Report on the common decisions, establish the next
steps for the network, future projects and collaborations.

4:00 - 4:30PM
EVALUATION & CLOSING