The topic of youth participation in cultural projects is highly topical. But it is often a theme that, although very frequent, often falls into rhetoric or banality.

The fourteenth Culture Next conference will be held in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, European Capital of Culture in 2018. It is focused on the theme “Cultural Participation” and gathers representatives from 50 European cities and their young representatives (aged 18–27), together with local artists and cultural organizations from Leeuwarden.

In a constantly evolving Europe, Culture Next brings together cities that believe in the power of culture to shape communities, inspire sustainable change, and create legacies that transcend titles. Founded in 2017, the network now unites 35 cities across 19 countries, all driven by a shared mission: to turn cultural aspirations into sustainable urban realities.

On 28.11.2024, a delegation of the Culture Next network met with the representatives of DG Culture within the European Commission, responsible for the Creative Europe programs and for the European Capital of Culture Projects, to discuss the network’s work and its contribution to the formulation of future regulations related to the European Capitals of Culture program.

What future do the European Capitals of Culture have? And how can this competition be improved through new changes to the regulations for the new programming cycle? And how can culture be integrated into processes of environmental sustainability? And what is the relationship between culture and democracy?