- The conference, ‘The Culture of the European Future’, will take place on 9 and 10 November at the Palacio de la Isla and the Ateneo de Cáceres, bringing together international experts and representatives of other European Capitals of Culture
- Organised by Cáceres 2031 in collaboration with the Iberian Performing Arts Showcase (MAE), the event will explore the role of artistic creation, citizen participation and cultural cooperation across territories
- The activities are open to cultural professionals, students and interested members of the public, who can register to attend either or both days
The Cáceres 2031 European Capital of Culture bid is organising the international conference ‘The Culture of the European Future (ECoCs)’ on November 9th and 10th. The event will bring together cultural professionals, representatives of European projects and experts in artistic creation and citizen participation to explore the role culture can play in shaping Europe’s future.
Organised in collaboration with the Iberian Performing Arts Showcase (MAE), the event will feature representatives from Leuven 2030 (Belgium) and Victoria 2031 Għawdex (Malta), who will share their experiences of the European Capital of Culture initiative, alongside professionals and organisations working in European cultural cooperation.
Over two days, Cáceres will become a meeting place for exchanging experiences and working together on questions such as culture’s ability to transform communities, opportunities for cooperation between European territories and the importance of broadening citizen participation in cultural decision-making.
The conference will follow the Transcultura methodology, which lies at the heart of the Cáceres 2031 bid and encourages participants to listen, connect experiences and turn shared learning into new opportunities for action. The aim is to develop concrete proposals and establish cooperative relationships that can continue beyond the two-day event.
Two days to share experiences and develop proposals
The programme will begin on Monday, November 9th, at 3:00 pm at the Palacio de la Isla, with an institutional welcome from Jorge Suárez, Councillor for Culture at Cáceres City Council, and Iris Jugo, General Coordinator of Cáceres 2031.
The first day will feature Scottish cultural practitioner Simon Sharkey, Artistic Director of The Necessary Space and one of the founding directors of the National Theatre of Scotland. He will share his international experience of developing artistic projects with communities around the world.
Irene Palomino, Director of the Extremadura Delegation in Brussels, will also contribute a reflection on Extremadura’s relationship with Europe and the role European integration has played in the region’s development and international profile.
The collaboration with the Iberian Performing Arts Showcase (MAE) will be particularly visible in the panel discussion ‘No Borders, No Curtain: Performing Arts Connecting Europe’. Theatre, dance and circus professionals will explore opportunities for cooperation between territories and the circulation of cultural projects. The panel will bring together Simón Ferrero, President of Extremadura Teatral; Elena Gómez Guerrero, from the Association of Dance Professionals of Extremadura; Roberto Calle Martín, from the Association of Circus Professionals of Extremadura; and Toni Álvarez, Cultural Manager at AGCEX.
The programme will also include a participatory workshop organised by CAE Spain Hub and facilitated by Fernanda Bilbao, focusing on protecting and supporting cultural ecosystems through European cultural policies. Participants will explore cultural rights, funding opportunities and the development of shared cultural objectives between Spain and Europe. The day will conclude with a collective evaluation to identify key lessons and potential commitments for the future.
Experiences from Belgium and Malta take centre stage on the second day
El martes 10 de noviembre, desde las 9.00 horas, en el Ateneo de Cáceres, la programación continuará con un laboratorio participativo dirigido por Simon Sharkey, que permitirá trasladar a la práctica algunas de las reflexiones compartidas durante la primera jornada.
On Tuesday, November 10th, the programme will continue from 9:00 am at the Ateneo de Cáceres with a participatory laboratory led by Simon Sharkey, providing an opportunity to put some of the ideas discussed on the first day into practice. One of the highlights of the second day will be the participation of Kathryn Cops, from the LOV2030 – Leuven & Beyond team, who will present the experience of the Belgian city, designated European Capital of Culture 2030. Her contribution will explore how culture can help address challenges such as social polarisation and climate change by involving citizens in the development of a shared project.
Ariane Bieou, representing Victoria 2031 Għawdex (Malta), which has been recommended for designation as European Capital of Culture 2031, will also take part. She will share lessons learned from her experience with Matera 2019 and explain how these are being applied to the development of Victoria 2031’s cultural project. Her contribution will focus particularly on the importance of strengthening the skills and capacities of cultural professionals and stakeholders involved in European Capital of Culture processes. Both experiences will be brought into dialogue with Cáceres 2031 in a public discussion aimed at identifying shared challenges and exploring new opportunities for collaboration between the three territories.<br/><br/>
Both experiences will be brought into dialogue with Cáceres 2031 in a public discussion aimed at identifying shared challenges and exploring new opportunities for collaboration between the three territories.
The conference will conclude with a collective workshop in which participants will work on a roadmap setting out conclusions and potential future actions. Through this approach, Cáceres 2031 aims to ensure that the relationships and proposals emerging from the event can continue to develop and contribute to the cultural development of the territory.
An event open to the public
‘The Culture of the European Future’ is aimed at artists, cultural professionals and organisations, institutional representatives, students and anyone interested in taking part in a shared reflection on the future of culture in Europe.
The programme will combine expert contributions with open discussions and participatory workshops, giving attendees the opportunity to share their own experiences and proposals.
Advance registration is required through a single form, which allows participants to choose whether to attend on Monday, Tuesday or both days, at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/caceres31mae
The activities will take place on Monday, from 3:00 pm to 8:30 pm, at the Palacio de la Isla, and on Tuesday, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, at the Ateneo de Cáceres.
Through this initiative, Cáceres 2031 continues to strengthen the European dimension of its bid and create opportunities for exchange between Extremadura’s cultural sector and professionals from other countries. This work reflects the bid’s commitment to developing a cultural project connected to Europe, with the potential to leave a lasting legacy in Cáceres and across Extremadura.
