What is it about?​

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United by Future Places is the 2024 edition of Culture Action Europe's Beyond the Obvious gathering. This international get together invites practitioners, organisations and institutions, policy-makers, thinkers, researchers, activists and art-ivists from the cultural and social sectors working on topics related to cultural citizenship, democratic spaces & sustainability. Places matter, and so does culture. United by Future Places | Beyond the Obvious will address questions on how to rethink the future of cities as places for collective living with culture as the guiding principle. How can the European cultural sector propose new narratives and images for sustainable futures?

In the midst of multifaceted challenges confronting our societies, ranging from cultural citizenship to democratic spaces and sustainability, there emerges an imperative for collective action. United by Future Places | Beyond the Obvious delves into these pressing issues, recognizing the intrinsic value of culture in shaping the future of our cities and communities. As we navigate the complexities of our times, we acknowledge that places matter, serving as crucibles for social cohesion, democracy, dialogue and social and nature stewardship. The conference seeks to create conversation spaces on how the European cultural sector can propose new narratives and visions for sustainable futures, anchored in principles of public and democratic spaces, social and climate justice, and cultural citizenship. Through projects aimed at revitalising public spaces, fostering community engagement, promoting democracy, advocating for climate justice, and ensuring equal access to cultural participation, the conference aims to propose images and narratives towards inclusive, resilient, and thriving societies.