- The second day of ‘The Culture of Europe’s Future’, organised in collaboration with MAE, brought together cultural professionals and stakeholders at the Ateneo de Cáceres for a participatory session to reflect on the city’s cultural future and its connections with Europe
- The conclusions and proposals gathered during the two-day event will form the basis of a working document to be shared with participants, speakers and other European Capitals of Culture
Cáceres 2031 has concluded ‘The Culture of Europe’s Future (ECoCs)’, organised in collaboration with the Muestra Ibérica de Artes Escénicas (MAE), with a participatory session at the Ateneo de Cáceres. Cultural professionals and stakeholders came together to reflect on the future of the bid and the role culture can play in building a Europe that is more closely connected to its territories and citizens.
The second day was led by Cáceres 2031 General Coordinator Iris Jugo and international expert Ariane Bieou, who guided participants through a working methodology based on participation and the exchange of experiences. Through a series of interactive workshops, attendees shared their visions for Cáceres 2031, explored what a successful bid should achieve and discussed the steps needed to turn this shared vision into reality.
During the event, Iris Jugo presented the main elements of the bid and its bid book, focusing on Transcultura as a methodology for connecting territories, communities and cultural experiences. The session provided an opportunity to explore the project from a collective perspective, encouraging participants to identify opportunities and contribute fresh ideas to its development.
Ariane Bieou shared her extensive experience with the European Capitals of Culture, particularly through her involvement in Matera 2019 and Victoria 2031. Her contribution offered valuable insights into how these initiatives are developed, including a closer look at Victoria’s bid book and cultural programme, bringing European perspectives to the discussion on Cáceres’ future.
A collective reflection that will continue beyond the event
One of the main objectives of the second day was to ensure that the exchange of experiences and knowledge generated during the event would have a lasting impact. Guided by the idea that what begins here should continue well beyond these two days, participants worked together to develop conclusions, suggestions and contributions that will help shape the next steps of the bid.
The workshops encouraged participants to reflect on what they had learned over the two days, the ideas and experiences they would take away, and their hopes for the future of Cáceres 2031. The event concluded with each participant making an individual contribution to Europe, reflecting a shared commitment to a cultural future built through participation and dialogue between territories.
These contributions will form the basis of a roadmap bringing together the main conclusions of the event. The document will be shared with participants, speakers and other European Capitals of Culture, with the aim of building on the work initiated in Cáceres and creating further opportunities for exchange and cooperation.
In this way, Cáceres 2031 reaffirms its commitment to a bid shaped by listening to and engaging with the cultural sector, while embracing its European dimension as an opportunity to learn from other cities and share the experiences and initiatives emerging from Extremadura.
