World Cities Culture Forum

How is World Cities Culture Forum helping transform cities and improve lives?   World Cities Culture Forum is a network of 40+ global cities championing culture as an essential driver for sustainable cities. Here’s how our network is supporting people, places and the planet: People👪: our city leaders share their best ideas exchange projects and fast-track innovative solutions. Places🏙: we super-charge culture to make our cities more vibrant and resilient with research, trends and innovative projects. Planet🌍: we believe culture is a positive global force, and along with UNESCO, we campaign for a dedicated Sustainable Development Goal for culture post 2030. Read our Annual Report 2023: https://lnkd.in/dpTVJ3u8

What do cultural festivals deliver for cities?  Bengaluru is known by many names—Pensioner’s Paradise, Garden City, Global Tech Hub, and Startup Capital. This weekend, the UnboxingBLR Hubba Festival will invite citizens and visitors to see the city through fresh eyes. As the 4th largest tech cluster in the world, home to 33% of India’s tech talent, Bengaluru is a global innovation powerhouse. Yet, BLR Hubba Festival, now in its second year, challenges perceptions and celebrates the diversity of talent that calls this city home. With over 500 events across 40 locations, the festival will transform the city into an arena for culture connections—from walking tours exploring decolonisation to film screenings, art exhibitions, and collaborations with local museums like the newly opened Museum of Art and Photography (MAP). What events or festivals in your city make you proud to call it home? Discover more about Bengaluru’s cultural scene on our website: https://lnkd.in/e2MrVbDv Brian Carvalho, Malini Goyal #BLRHubba #ExperienceBengaluru #BengaluruCulture #UrbanAdvocacy #GlobalTechHub 

In his recent piece for World Cities Culture Forum, David Andersson from our Arts & Culture team explores how #AsphaltArt can transform dangerous intersections into vibrant community spaces, helping to slow traffic and make crosswalks more visible (and colorful!)   Now, cities across Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. can apply for up to $100,000 in funding for large-scale artistic street interventions. This grant opportunity supports projects that use murals, sculptures, and installations to improve street safety, activate public spaces, and engage local communities.   The Asphalt Art Guide is a valuable toolkit for cities looking to implement these impactful projects. Apply by January 31, 2025! Read the full story and learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gdq3bHwG

🏙️ Streets and public spaces shape a city’s character, but too many are designed to prioritise cars over people. From Helsinki to Chicago, cities are transforming streets into safer, more vibrant spaces with Bloomberg Philanthropies' Asphalt Art Initiative. In our latest guest blog, David Andersson reveals how community-driven, artistic interventions are reimagining public spaces - and how your city can join in. Cities and community non-profits in Canada, Mexico and the United States can apply by 31 January 2025 for grants up to $100,000. Don’t miss out! Read David's blog and find out how to apply: https://lnkd.in/gdq3bHwG #asphaltart #publicspaces #Helsinki #Chicago #publicart #ArtsGrant #BloombergPhilanthropies Image courtesy of Bloomberg Philanthropies. Image description: Community volunteers help paint the “Bring London Together” project to catalyse economic recovery from the pandemic in 2021.

Nations at Cop29 call for arts and heritage to play a recognised role in climate recovery; 40 countries support the campaign https://ow.ly/5RBX50U91Ei

It was a great to be part of Brand Week Istanbul to talk about how culture transforms our cities. Whilst there, I spoke to Svilena Keane from MediaCat Magazine, thank you for you questions. Thanks British Council for supporting my participation at this important event. Istanbul is inspiring! 💘

🌍NEW REPORT: 'Nothing About Us Without Us: Youth and Culture in Global Cities Today' Read the Report: https://lnkd.in/dC_tf7_r Commissioned in collaboration with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, our new Youth Report was launched earlier this month at the World Cities Culture Summit 2024. 💡Did you know? 30% of the world’s population in under 25, and this is set to grow. Discover key trends, case studies and recommendations illustrating culture’s power to foster civic engagement, empathy, and social solidarity. 🤝  Hala Badri, Justine Simons OBE, Laia Gasch, Mariam Yousef #Youth #YouthResearch #Cities #CivicEngagement #Dubai

Neste documento em anexo fiz um breve resumo dos painéis e rodas de conversas que participei no World Cities Culture Forum, onde a cultura, economia criativa, cidades, juventude e futuros possíveis foram os temas norteadores. In this attached document, I made a brief summary of the panels and discussions I participated in at the World Cities Forum, where culture, the creative economy, cities, youth, and possible futures were the guiding themes. #art #cultura #culture #economia #economy #future

And finally the World Cities Culture Summit 2024 drew to a close 💫 Director of the World Cities Culture Forum, Laia Gasch led an energetic plenary ‘Ideas for Tomorrow’, with Indy Johar, Director Dark Matter Labs; global policy expert and author, Justin O'Connor’Connor; and Ruth Mackenzie CBE. Then a packed morning of panels discussed.. 🔸Technology - how it’s connecting the past to the present. 🔸The Future if grassroots culture. 🔸Evolution in libraries. 🔸Advocacy - new ways to win hearts and minds. 🔸Intangible heritage - celebrating living traditions. 🔸Data and culture 🔸The future of funding 🔸Building teams equipped for tomorrow’s challenges After closing remarks from Her Excellency, Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, we were hosted by Antonia Carver at the brilliant Jameel Arts Centre. A huge thank you to our cities for their brilliant ideas, energy and generosity. To the World Cities Culture Forum team who have worked their socks off 🧦 And of course to our hosts Her Highness HH Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and the whole team Dubai Culture & Arts Authority for being a joy to work with and for pulling out all the stops, delivering the biggest ever World Cities Culture Summit! #dreamteam #itsawrap

Thank you to everyone who made the World Cities Culture Summit 2024 so special!    From 30 October – 1 November, we hosted the largest ever World Cities Culture Summit in Dubai, bringing together over 140 senior leaders from over 35 cities under the theme of ‘Tomorrow’s Culture: How will the next generation shape our world?’    Key milestones included: ⭐ Two report launches, including Dubai Culture & Arts Authority's ‘Future of Education’ Report and our joint research ‘Nothing About Us Without Us: Youth and Culture in Global Cities Today’.  ⭐ The most multilingual World Cities Culture Summit ever, sharing conversations in up to seven languages.  ⭐ The launch of the third round of the #WCCF_LeadershipExchange Programme supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. ⭐ Delegate visits to five of Dubai’s pioneering cultural venues.  ⭐ Eight artistic performances showcasing leading Emirati creative talent.  ⭐ Insights and expertise on panels from a wide range of global partners including British Council, Itaú Cultural, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, LAGO-COLLECTIVE, ODI Global, Julie's Bicycle.   ⭐ Our first ever Night Time Accelerator in collaboration with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and VibeLab.  ⭐ Public session with 250+ people, attended by Dubai’s creative community.  🐫 Our first ever Summit gala dinner in the beautiful desert!    Thank you to our wonderful hosts Dubai Culture & Arts Authority. Finally, thanks to our city partners for their brilliant ideas, energy and generosity. Read our Youth Report 'Nothing about us with out us': https://lnkd.in/dC_tf7_r #WCCF_Summit #WCCF_Dubai Hala Badri, Justine Simons OBE, Laia Gasch, Lina Abbas, Mariam Yousef, Sara Al-Pachachi