The programme combined European-level perspectives with concrete local practices. In the first session, representatives from Creative Europe, EIT Culture & Creativity, and the CLIC project introduced key funding programmes, tools, and hybrid finance approaches that combine different types of resources to support culture and heritage.
The second session focused on city-level examples. Zurich presented its Kultur Labor initiatives and experimental funding methods for the creative economy, Milan shared experiences from its URBACT work on culture and social responsibility, while Almería showcased the CAMINA project as an example of innovation-driven local development.
Takeaways:
New funding approaches for culture are emerging at both EU and local level, with a growing focus on combining different financial sources.
- Cities are actively testing these approaches through pilot projects, urban labs, and experimental schemes.
Sharing concrete examples helps partner cities identify transferable ideas for their own strategies.
Overall, the Masterclass provided a clear overview of current trends and practical examples, supporting RECUP cities in rethinking how culture can be financed as part of their future Integrated Investment Plans.