The 14th edition of the Culture Next Conference brought nearly 100 participants from across Europe to Leeuwarden, Netherlands, making it one of the largest gatherings in the network’s history. Over two dynamic days, members, observers, youth representatives and city delegates joined conversations about the present and future of Culture Next, asking one essential question: how can culture stay relevant beyond the race for the European Capital of Culture title? In simple words: how can we build and stay true to our legacy? Plus the SDG thing.
From bidding to belonging
The conference opened with a powerful reminder: “The world is a dark place. But without culture, it would be even darker.”(thanks Tracy for this wonderful words). And that message echoed through every workshop, debate, and late-evening reflection. As more cities finished their ECoC journeys or even plan new ones, the focus of the network shifts steadily toward legacy, how to build something lasting when the spotlight fades. From better policy engagement, to new mobilities and new collaborative missions, Culture Next cities are co-creating answers together.
Leeuwarden, a candidate for European Youth Capital 2028, was the perfect host for this edition, spotlighting the voice of young people at the heart of our discussions. One of the key panels was led by youth representatives from various cities, who outlined bold strategies to ensure that younger generations are not only involved, but leading the way. As one young participant put it: “We are no longer waiting to be invited in. We’ve started building something new.”
Challenges, tools, action
The conference also brought practical outputs: new policy tools, updated mobility strategies for artists and cultural workers, ideas for collective actions in the coming year, and an invitation to speak out more boldly about how the ECoC process and related EU cultural policies can evolve.
Many sessions asked difficult but necessary questions:
- How do we measure cultural impact in cities with such different contexts?
- How do we link SDG goals with local creativity?
- How can urban and culture policies become one and the same?
The answer was clear: by continuing to work, not alone, but together. And it that direction, one of the key focus was the SDG thing, the tool created and developed alongside Ralf Alwani & Jak Spencer (Whitelabel) that uses AI to measure the real impact of culture in every community. (more about this to follow)
Youth at the Ccentre
If there was one recurring theme across the conference, it was youth. Their creative energy, their criticism, and their commitment brought a new clarity to Culture Next’s mission. Whether through new mobility schemes, shared success (or failure) stories or by stepping into leadership roles, the young voices in Leeuwarden reminded everyone that the cultural future must be built with them, not for them.
“We can’t wait for young people to come to us. We must go to them.”
Looking Ahead
The conference ended with a symbolic moment: the passing of the key to our next host city, Bielsko-Biała (15-17.10.2025, Poland), where Culture Next members will meet again this October.
Until then, the network continues to grow — from 10 founding cities to almost 40 full and observing members, and continues to evolve. Culture Next is more than a network. It is a living space for collaboration, a movement that values the local, believes in the transformative power of culture, and dares to imagine new ways forward, especially through the creativity of the next generation.
We’re not done, just in motion.
