You can download the PDF version of the programme here.
Venue: Göteborgs kulturförvaltning, Östra Hamngatan 16, 411 09 Göteborg
We invite you to a presentation on the upcoming revision of Gothenburg’s cultural strategy and are happy to brainstorm in discussion with cities undergoing similar processes.
Please note this is not an official event of the Culture Forum but an opportunity offered by the city of Gothenburg to interested Eurocities members.
Venue: Röhsska Museum of Design and Craft (Vasagatan 39, 411 37 Göteborg, Sweden)
Participants will be able to collect their badges in the lobby. The badge will be valid for all three days of the event.
First time attending the Culture Forum? This session is for you!
In this session, participants can gain a deeper understanding of Eurocities’ organisational structure and learn about the advantages of being a member. They will learn about the thematic areas of the Culture Forum and the different opportunities that it offers for its members. Additionally, this session will provide a space for participants to engage in discussion with Eurocities’ team and voice specific needs and interests of their cities.
Welcome and moderation by Bailie Annette Christie, City Convener for Culture, Sport and International Relations, City of Glasgow, and Chair of the Eurocities culture forum.
Introduction to the Röhsska Museum by Nina Due, Head of Röhsska Museum
- The big picture: what’s new in the EU bubble? Including perspectives on the
- new Culture Compass
- Recent and future Eurocities work on culture and on democracy
- Forthcoming activities and opportunities for Eurocities members
- Eurocities membership update
- Save the date! Next culture forum
Venue: Gothenburg Museum of Art (Götaplatsen 6, 412 56 Göteborg, Sweden)
Director of Cultural Affairs Administration, Anna Rosengren and Head of Gothenburg Museum of Art, Patrik Steorn will welcome us to the Gothenburg Museum of Art at Götaplatsen for an evening of food and networking with fellow Eurocities members.
Due to the alcohol policy in Sweden, 1-2 glasses of wine will initially be offered. There will be bar onsite to purchase further drinks at ones own cost.
The registration desk will be open - participants will be able to collect their badges in the lobby. The badge will be valid for all three days of the event.
Venue: Göteborgsoperan / Gothenburg Opera House (Christina Nilssons Gata, 411 04 Göteborg, Sweden)
Participants will be able to collect their badges in the lobby. The badge will be valid for all three days of the event.
Words of welcome from:
Blerta Hoti Singh, Deputy Mayor, City of Gothenburg
Bailie Annette Christie, City Convener for Culture, Sport and International Relations, city of Glasgow, and chair of the Eurocities culture forum
André Sobczak, Eurocities Secretary General
Keynote speech: Staffan Lindberg, V-dem Institute, University of Gothenburg.
Staffan I. Lindberg is the Founding Director of the V-Dem Institute at University of Gothenburg (2012-2025), and one of five Principal Investigators for Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem).
Introductory reading from Karin Dalborg, CEO Nätverkstan (invited).
- Panel presentation of city initiatives selected following the Eurocities open call for contributions.
- Interventions from cities, discussion and room for questions.
- Current work on freedom of artistic expression at EU level - Doire Ó Cuinn, European Commission, Cultural Policy unit (invited).
The plenary session will be moderated by Karin Hübinette, Chairperson of the Swedish Institute for Media Studies.
Karin Hübinette is a Swedish journalist, who frequently works as a high-level moderator and seminar producer. She acts as the project leader for the "Future of Democracy" initiative and serves as the Chairperson of the Swedish Institute for Media Studies.
Seated lunch
Various venues - Participants will be guided to site visits and accompanied by colleagues from Gothenburg and the team at Eurocities.
The six site visits will focus on different themes connected to the topic of the forum and feature presentations from and discussions with contributing cities. Strategies and practises from both Gothenburg and other cities will be shared. We will guide you and use public transportation from about 14:00, to get to the site and start the visit at ca 14:30. We will end the site visits at 16:30 to be back to city centre at 17:00.
Interventions from cities who responded to Eurocities' open call for contributions to the culture forum will also be included. More information on which cities will feature and the content of their presentations will follow.
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Site visit 1: Gothenburg House of Literature - Collaborations for freedom of expression
Venue: Lagerhuset, Heurlins Plats 1. Located close to Järntorget.
English – Göteborgs Litteraturhus
Göteborgs Litteraturhus (Gothenburg House of Literature) is a non-profit association and cultural venue, dedicated to literature in all its forms. They comprises around 80 member organisations that share its mission to promote literary culture through public programmes and events. Located in Lagerhuset it is part of a vibrant cultural ecosystem, housing publishers, magazines, translators, and other cultural actors.
How can cities collaborate within the city and between cities to strengthen freedom of expression? How do we handle when free expressions become uncomfortable? And when self-censorship and adaptations limit programming and institutional work?
During the site visit we will explore the initiative of strengthening freedom of expression within the network of UNESCO cities of literature and ICORN as well as local examples and those from other member cities regarding collaborations for freedom of expression.
Transportation: We will use public transportation (tram) to travel to the location.
Site visit 2: Konstepidemin - Support to the independent cultural sector
Venue: Konstepidemins väg 6, Hus 13. Gröna Rummet.
Konstepidemin is an artist-run cultural center and studio association in Gothenburg. The area was formerly Gothenburg’s Epidemic Hospital but was transformed into an artist-run cultural center in 1987. It is one of Sweden’s largest workplaces for independent artists, hosting over 120 practitioners from various artistic disciplines, including visual artists, sculptors, writers, musicians, filmmakers, actors, and more.
How can cities strengthen the independent cultural sector and smaller actors through funding and infrastructure? How can cities offer support when cultural actors face external or internal pressure? During the site visit both Gothenburg and other members will share strategies and practices about challenges and opportunities for the independent cultural sector.
Transportation: We will use public transportation (tram) to travel to the location.
Site visit 3: Kulturhuset Bergsjön - Equal access to freedom of expression
Venue: Bergsjöns Kulturhusväg 4 A
Om kulturhuset - Kulturhuset Bergsjön - Göteborgs Stad
Kulturhuset Bergsjön is the city’s most recently built cultural center located at Rymdtorget, one of the more deprived areas in Gothenburg. It opened in 2022 after a long process of dialogues and influence from residents and civil society. It offers a variety of activities such as art creation, music performances as well as a library with study rooms and space for group activities. It aims to be a welcoming place for everyone in Gothenburg, encouraging exploration and creativity.
How can the city work to increase inclusion, participation, and co-creation based on residents' cultural rights, in collaboration with civil society? What are the challenges and the success factors? During the site visit both Gothenburg and other members will share strategies and practices about providing more equal access to freedom of expression.
Transportation: We will use public transportation (tram) to travel to Kulturhuset Bergsjön.
Site visit 4: Kulturhuset Blå Stället - Freedom of expression for children and youth
Venue: Angereds Torg 13
Blå Stället was built in 1979 as the first cultural center in a suburb in Sweden. The cultural center is a meeting place in the middle of Angered Centrum for everyone who is interested in some form of culture - music, dance, creativity, society, talk and much more. The premises also house a library, theater, and cinema. A lot of events are organised by initiatives from citizens, such as the Angered Book Fair.
How can children and young people be given tools, space and mandate to practice influence through art and culture in a segregated city? During the site visit both Gothenburg and other members will share strategies and practices about providing more equal access to freedom of expression for children and youth.
Transportation: We will use public transportation (tram) to travel to Kulturhuset Blå Stället.
Site visit 5: Södra Älvstranden - Embedding cultural rights in urban planning
Venue: TBC
This site visit explores how cultural rights can be systematically embedded in cross-sectoral urban planning to ensure broad access to culture and a sustainable and diverse cultural sector. Gothenburg would like to highlight and share examples and methods for working with five defined cultural values to enhance opportunities for art and culture to expand as the city grows. Digital development offers new tools for urban planning through which we strive to make these cultural values visible.
During the site visit both Gothenburg and other members will share strategies and practices about safeguarding cultural rights in urban planning.
Transportation: We will use public transportation (tram) to travel to the location.
Site visit 6: Gothenburg Kunsthalle – Reimagining cultural institutions in urban transformation
Venue: Gamlestads Torg 5, 415 12 Göteborg
Göteborgs Konsthall - Konstupplevelser som förflyttar tankar och gränser
As part of Gothenburg’s strategic reimagining of its cultural infrastructure, the Gothenburg Kunsthalle is in the process of relocating from its central site to Slakthusområdet, a former meatpacking district on the city’s periphery. The project aims to cultivate new cultural epicentres within the city, rethinking key cultural spaces to build inclusion across a highly segregated urban landscape. During the site visit, participants will explore the area and view the Kunsthalle in its current construction phase, using the transformation as a starting point for broader discussions.
How can cities strengthen institutional capacity to host, support, and safeguard diverse cultural expressions? What methods help anchor public spaces and institutions through local insight and dialogue? During the site visit Gothenburg and other members share strategies and practices related to strengthening cultural institutions, cultivating local insight and safeguard diverse cultural expression.
Transportation: We will use public transportation (tram) to travel to the locations. The site visit will also include some walking.
Venue: City Library: Götaplatsen 3, 412 56 Göteborg
Hosted by Blerta Hoti Singh, Deputy Mayor, City of Gothenburg.
Discussion on the future of libraries as hubs for inclusion and democratic resilience.
Official signing moment of the Eurocities Lille Call to action on sustainable culture.
Venue: Gustaf Adolfs Torg 4, 411 10 Göteborg.
Aslan Akbas, Chair of the City Council, will be our host during a reception followed by a seated dinner at Börsen.
After a second day of sessions and site visits, join fellow participants for an evening at Börsen (“The Bourse”), the official representative building of the City of Gothenburg. Dress code is business casual. Due to the alcohol policy in Sweden, 1-2 glasses of wine will initially be offered. There will be bar onsite to purchase further drinks at ones own cost.
Venue(s): Various as listed below depending on WGs
1. Gothenburg City Library: Götaplatsen 3, 412 56 Göteborg
2. Gothenburg House of Literature: Heurlins Plats 1, 413 30 Göteborg
3. Röhsska Museum: Vasagatan 39, 411 37 Göteborg
Working group ‘cultural services and culture for inclusive cities’ (Venue 1 - Gothenburg City Library: Götaplatsen 3, 412 56 Göteborg)
Working group ‘cultural leadership and management’ (Venue 1 - Gothenburg City Library: Götaplatsen 3, 412 56 Göteborg)
Due to a common start at the same venue, both working groups will have the opportunity to listen to highlights from the EU group of member state experts on public libraries, presented by Reiner Schmock-Bathe, Head of Unit Urban Culture, Libraries, Youth Art and Music Schools, European Cultural affairs; Chair Eurocities WG Cultural services & culture for inclusive cities.
Working group ‘art and culture in the public space’ (Venue 2 - Gothenburg House of Literature: Heurlins Plats 1, 413 30 Göteborg)
Taskforce on sustainable culture (Venue 3 - Röhsska Museum: Vasagatan 39, 411 37 Göteborg)
All working group meetings will have a 30 minute coffee break.
More information on the content of the WG meetings to follow.
Venue: Röhsska Museet, Vasagatan (Vasagatan 37-39, 411 37 Göteborg, Sweden)
We will gather for a canapé-style lunch and a short business session to wrap up the forum.
For those who are able to stay, we will guide you to several options for visits around the city. (If we are enough people, we may offer a guided tour by boat).
Informal dinner: we will spend the evening together in a vibrant part of the city, with lots of restaurants and bars.
See the Off-programme events tab for recommendations.