Coaching visits opened ‘a space for dialogue’ in host cities, say city coaches

During Culture for Cities and Regions’ ten coaching visits, representatives from cities and regions interested in sharing knowledge and in deepening working relationships with the coached cities or regions formed our pool of coaches. They shared their experience and offered independent support and reflection to the city or region willing to carry out changes through the coaching process.

As the coaching visits came to an end, we wanted to hear from our pool of city coaches how they think the coaching process was useful for host cities and regions, and what they themselves learned while taking part in the visits.

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In Lublin, fostering audience development and monitoring cultural policies
10-12 May 2017

On 10-12 May, a coaching team travelled to Lublin, the largest city in eastern Poland, to help the city foster audience development and design tools to monitor local cultural policies and activities. The visiting team included independent expert Marianna Kajantie, Julie Hervé (EUROCITIES), and the heads of cultural affairs departments of the city councils of Dortmund and Espoo.

Lublin is an academic centre and has a young population. The city’s bid was short-listed for the European Capital of Culture title in 2016. Although unsuccessful, the preparation of the bid has given the city momentum to reflect on its strengths and weaknesses, and to develop a long-term cultural vision and strategy. Priorities of Lublin’s culture development strategy 2013-2020 include cultural education and bringing culture into the districts.

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Northern creative highlights: Culture for Cities and Regions went to Oulu
7-9 June 2017

On 7- 9 June, a team of coaches visited Oulu, to help the city develop its new cultural strategy. The visiting team included University of Valencia professor Pau Rausell-Köster, Tom Fleming from TF Creative Consultancy, the head of department of cultural affairs of the city of Dortmund Kurt Eichler and special advisor for culture and international relations at the Institute for Culture in Barcelona Esteve Carames.

Changes in funding and organisation structures at national level and municipal level, and Oulu’s enlarged neighbourhood (having absorbed some surrounding municipalities into the city) were key points to consider. A European Capital of Culture bid for the year 2026 will also be a key feature of the plan.

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Coaching visit in Kalamata, a leading ‘peripherical creative city’ in South-West of Greece
18-20 May 2017

On 18-20 May, a Culture for Cities and Regions coaching team travelled to Kalamata, Greece. The visit mainly focused on the sustainability of the city’s cultural sector and the future of its local creative industries. The coaching visit was not only about reflecting on local actions but also provided new ideas for inspiration.

The visiting team included KEA European Affairs expert Arthur Le Gall, Peter Inkei of the Budapest Observatory, and the heads of the cultural affairs departments of the city councils of Ghent and Espoo.

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Culture for Cities and Regions’ last coaching visit paved the way for Creative Belfast
21-23 June 2017

The last Culture for Cities and Regions coaching visit of the programme took place in June in Belfast. The team of coaches visited Belfast to help the city strengthen its cultural sector and infrastructure. The visit addressed three main questions: how to prove the economic and social value of culture? Would a cultural organisation or company such as ‘Creative Belfast’ be useful in that context? What would be the framework and roadmap for such a structure?

The visiting team included KEA European Affairs director Philippe Kern, University of Valencia professor Pau Rausell-Köster, head of the department of cultural affairs of the city of Dortmund Kurt Eichler and co-founding director of Creative Dundee Gillian Easson.

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