13th Culture Next Conference, 2024

Cluj-Napoca, Romania
16th-18th of October, 2024

The Conference

The 13th Culture Next conference gathers representatives from 50 European cities and the most important cultural networks, together with representatives of the European Commission, local artists, and cultural organisations from Cluj.

The event hosts keynote speeches, panels, and workshops on the Culture Goal (making Culture the 18th SDG în the next UN Agenda) and the ECoC Reform (improving the European Capitals of Culture project of the European Union).

A dedicated government officials’ agenda creates opportunities to share good case practices and discuss collaborations on hot European topics such aș the New European Bauhaus, Culture and Resilience, Culture and Well-being, and so on.

The conference includes meetings and matchmaking sessions with local artists and organizations, city tours and visits, and various local showcases and events.

The general conference programme is as follows:

16th of October is the pre-meetings day, and the agenda includes management meetings and a further step în the development of the Culture Next initiate to evaluate the impact of culture on the SDGs. În the evening we have the Official Reception.

The conference officially starts on 17th of October, a day open to the general public.

The official program ends on 18th of October, with a schedule centred around network-related sessions and conversations.

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?

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

Accomodation

The organization will ensure the following:

For Culture Next Full Member Cities: 2 nights hotel accommodation for 3 people în single rooms. Each of the groups representing a city must be accompanied by a government official in order for Culture Next to cover 2 nights of accommodation for 3 people. If not, Culture Next covers 2 nights of accommodation for 2 people.

For Culture Next Observing Member Cities and non-member cities: There is no obligation to stay at any of the recommended hotels, but if you’re willing to do so, you just need to fill the registration and let us know your travel dates. We will book it for you and let you know how to handle the payment.

For extra nights (anyone): If you stay at any of the recommended hotels for the extra nights, then we will take care of the arrangements, and you can pay for the extra nights at the hotel. If you decide to stay at some other hotel, please book directly with the hotel of your choice so you can make the necessary payment arrangements. The deadline for communicating to us the information about extra nights is the deadline for the registration. See the hotel recommendations under Conference venues.

For the SGD Thing workshop participants (only applicable to Culture Next members who are already part of this project): 1-night hotel (15th of October) accommodation in a single room for 1 person/city.

Fees

Non-member cities have to pay a conference fee of 250 euro per person.

Culture Next Observing Member Cities do not have to pay the conference fee.

Culture Next Full Member Cities do not have to pay the conference fee.

The second day of the conference (the 17th of October) is access free for all local participants.

Excited to join us?

Conference hotels

Courtyard by Marriott, Avram Iancu 23-25
Radisson Blu Hotel, Aleea Stadionului 1

Additional hotel recommendation

Grand Hotel Napoca, Octavian Goga 1

Official Reception

Casino Urban Culture Centre, Central Park

Conference

Qub Centre, Ferdinand 22-26
Aula Magna, Babeș-Bolyai University
Tranzit House, George Barițiu 16
Youth Centre, Iuliu Maniu 1
Banca Transilvania Headquarters, Calea Dorobanților 36

Parties & Performances

The Last Lamentation by Stronger Peripheries @Grigorescu Beach
Music Showcase w/ Baby Elvis @Atelier Cafe, Memorandumului 9

Visits

City tour by Cluj Guided Tours, Unirii Square 1
Centre of Interest, Fabricii de Chibrituri 9
Bucium Village, Alba County

Travel to Cluj-Napoca

We recommend you to book the planes as soon as possible in order to have cheaper prices for the tickets. Cluj has an international airport 7 km away from the city centre (CLJ, or Aeroportul Internațional Avram Iancu Cluj-Napoca).

Language

The national language is Romanian. English is widely spoken. The conference will be held in English.

Timezone in Romania

EEST – Eastern European Summer Time

Emergency number

112

Currency

Leu (RON). Credit cards are widely accepted (Visa, MasterCard).

Taxi

Taxis can be ordered by phone, through an app, or by getting one at a taxi stand. For an easier ride, though, we recommend using Uber / Bolt, since they have friendly interfaces built for international use. These services are highly used in Cluj.

All taxis accept credit cards.

Provisional Agenda

Still subject to change

Day 1 | Pre-meetings

16th of October 2024

This day is dedicated to internal meetings of the Culture Next Management (Board and Executive Team) and the SDG Thing working group.

09:30 - 16:00

Management Meeting / The SDG Thing Workshop

(Coffee breaks and lunch included)

@Qub Centre, Ferdinand 22-26

17:30 - 18:00

The Last Lamentation

(Performance, Video, Installation, 2023 – Winner of the Italian Council | Co-financed by Stronger Peripheries)

@Grigorescu Beach, Bulevardul 1 Decembrie 1918

18:30 - 22:00

Official Reception & Dinner

Welcoming words from:

Emilia Botezan, Head of International Relations Cluj-Napoca Municipality
Ștefan Teișanu, Secretary General Culture Next

Live set w/ DJ Sugar

@Casino Urban Culture Centre

Day 2 | Public day

17th of October 2024

– 100 international delegates from the Culture Next cities
– 10 representatives of European cultural networks
– 100 local cultural managers and artists from Cluj-Napoca

This day is dedicated to the big conversations about culture in our cities: what can culture really bring to sustainable development and how? how can we work with culture to support dual transition and positive social transformation?

09:00 - 09:30