Welcome to the first edition of our Future Cities newsletter!

How can our cities become more liveable, inclusive and resilient in times of change? And what role can culture, creativity, participation and collaboration play in shaping their future?

In this newsletter, we’ll share inspiring practices, upcoming events, opportunities to connect and the latest from the Future Cities Platform and beyond.

We’re glad to have you with us!

Enjoy reading!

Great ideas, tested solutions and strong networks already exist across the Baltic Sea Region – now it is time to bring them together. The Future Cities Platform has officially started, connecting projects, people and experiences to give existing results new momentum and take them further.

Future Cities brings together projects such as Liveability, BSR Cultural Pearls, UrbCitizenPower, NEB-STAR, CCI4Change and Editua, alongside networks such as Liveable Cities and NEBHUB 2050 – and many more. The idea is simple: instead of starting from scratch, the platform builds on what is already there, connects knowledge across projects and borders, and helps successful approaches reach new audiences and create impact beyond the lifetime of individual projects.

On 25 June, Future Cities partners from seven countries met in Hamburg to kick off the next 2.5 years. They exchanged experiences, solutions and results from different projects and discussed how to build on these across countries and work packages. The meeting set the foundation for a lively platform that connects knowledge, makes successful approaches visible and helps valuable results create lasting impact.

The Future Cities Community regularly gathers to share experiences, ideas and practices from across Europe and exploring how culture, creativity, public space and collaboration can help shape more liveable and resilient cities. 

How can art and culture in public space strengthen societal resilience? This question brought together 35+ participants from across Europe. Urban planner and cultural strategist Trevor Davies (METROPOLIS/KIT) shared insights on culture, public space and urban development. Key themes included the role of encounters, local identity, creativity and community knowledge in building resilient communities. The discussion also explored the idea of an “ecopolis” and the role of culture as essential infrastructure for resilient places.

More than 500 placemaking practitioners came together in Wrocław for four days of exchange, inspiration and new ideas at Placemaking Week Europe 2026. Future Cities contributed with a workshop on the Liveability Design Approach, including practical insights from Gdynia, and moderated a lively panel on the New European Bauhaus. From sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics to resilience, strategy and sport, the sessions brought together diverse perspectives – and plenty of inspiration to take forward into Future Cities.

_{Future Cities is part of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme, co-funded by the European Union.}

_{Fotos: BSR Cultural Pearls webinar on collaboration © Chris Montgomery/Unsplash, Public Domain | The Future Cities Forum © Teren Hurst/Unsplash, Public Domain | Future Cities #Visions Ideation Workshop – Shaping Urban Futures Together © Mick Haupt/Unsplash, Public Domain | Future Cities kicks off in Hamburg © Future Cities, all rights reserved | Shaping Resilience: What Can Art and Culture Do for Our Cities? With Trevor Davies © Julie Schmidt Andersen, all rights reserved | Future Cities at Placemaking Week Europe 2026 © Zuzanka Galczynska/Unsplash, Public Domain}