'Invisible Cities'*

Local Cultural Policy Development in Turkey

This cities-based project stresses the importance of cultural policy development in strengthening Turkey's cultural sector and so aiding reform and development in the country generally. One hoped-for, long-term outcome is a new shared framework for cultural development in the cities involved: Kars, Antakya (Antioch) and Canakkale. We got together with three partners - the local NGO Anadolu Kültür, Istanbul Bilgi University and the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs saw this project as ripe

Get an impression of day to day cultural life in Chisinau, Moldova, Kaliningrad, Russia,  Lviv, Ukraine and border cities of Turkey - have a look at the photobooks.

for support through its Matra programme, which twins Dutch and local expertise in projects of social transformation. Read more about this project here. For latest news on Turkey's cultural policy, go here.

Tapping Into Culture

Reinforcing Moldova's Development Capacities by Strengthening its Cultural Sector

For this project we teamed up with the Soros Foundation Moldova and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Matra programme) to realise a large-scale capacity-building initiative for Moldova's cultural sector. The initiative will run for three-and-a-half years, from 2007 to 2010. Read a background paper on the project here. For latest news on Moldova's cultural reform process, go here.

Download interview series 'Close-ups of a region in motion - Kaliningrad, Russia' held with cultural shakers of the region NOW

Culture in Transit

Cultural Development in Kaliningrad, Russia

This project offers tailor-made cultural management training and strategic advice to 25 cultural NGOs and public institutions in the Kaliningrad region. It also assists strategic local policy development within local cultural administrations. This project is funded by the European Union and the Nordic Council of Ministers. Implemented in cooperation with Tranzit Agency, Kaliningrad.

Read more about this project here.

Want to know more about the Lviv cultural scene? Have a look at the lviv cultural map here

More than Monuments

Strategic cultural planning for the city of Lviv, Ukraine

In cooperation with our Ukranian partner the Centre for Cultural managment, a shared approach is introduced to the planning of cultural life and cultural policy in the city of Lviv, which is a major city in western Ukraine and one of the main cultural centres of the country as a whole. In 2008 an important stage of the cultural planning process in Lviv was completed with the publication of a cultural map of the city. Read more about this project here.

Cultural policies in the Arab Mediterranean 

Supporting the mapping, analysis and publication of the state of cultural policies in 8 Arab Mediterranean countries, also in relation to international cultural cooperation policies. A One Year Pilot Project (spring 2009 - spring 2010). In cooperation with Culture Resource Cairo, British Council, Doen Foundation and Boekman Foundation.

In Turbulent Times 

Southern Mediterranean: Creating Capacities for Arts Management Training

This initiative offered capacity-building training to advanced cultural operators from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia and Syria. Certified as ‘Trainers of Cultural Management', participants then passed on their knowledge and skills to emerging cultural managers in their home countries. Read more on this project here.

Implemented in cooperation with Al-Mawred Al Thaqafy, Cairo.

Valuing Culture 

Local Cultural Policy Development in Zilina, Slovakia

The Slovakian region of Žilina is a focus area for on-the-ground local cultural policy action in the new

EU member states. After a period of analysis of local needs, training and public debates, this project will draw up a new cultural policy for the region. Read more about this project here.

Implemented in cooperation with Foundation - Centre for Contemporary Arts, Bratislava.

Culture Rocks the city

The impact of local cultural policymaking on European city life

The awareness project 'Active Citizens-Local Cultures-European Politics' was organised by the ECF together with SEE TV Exchanges (Brussels), ECUMEST (Bucharest) and the Interarts Foundation (Barcelona). This initiative is EU-funded. The results are a 26 minute TV documentary, which demonstrates how culture can radically change the image of European cities, and a 'Guide to Citizen Participation in Local Cultural Policy Development for European Cities'. Read more on this project here.