ULGs act as “local laboratories”. They connect international exchange with the realities on the ground, bringing together people who plan, manage and use urban spaces every day – municipal representatives, experts, civil society organisations, community actors and active citizens.
They meet regularly during the project, typically following transnational meetings. In these sessions, participants reflect on shared experiences, identify local challenges and co-design Testing Actions (small-scale initiatives that test how the adapted approach can work in practice). Step by step, they turn international knowledge into concrete action and ensure that local voices shape the solutions developed in each city.
Each partner city has appointed a ULG coordinator who links the local group with the international network, maintains the contact with local stakeholders and supports cooperation at the local level throughout the project.
Ostrava: learning from practice, sharing experiences
As the Lead Partner, Ostrava has a special role in this process. The city is not simply presenting a model to be transferred elsewhere – it is opening its own experience and inviting partners to explore what can be learned, adapted and further improved.
Ostrava’s ULG builds on the city’s long-term experience with participatory urban development and the Tvoříme prostor grant programme, which supports residents and local organisations in improving the places where they live through the city budget. The group brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including experts from academia and various professional fields (such as strategic planning and architecture), representatives of city districts, applicants to the Tvoříme prostor programme, active citizens, participatory budgeting coordinators and members of the Children and Youth Parliament.
The first meeting took place directly in the field – in the Parish Garden in Ostrava-Heřmanice, a space created thanks to the grant programme and strong local community engagement. Experiencing the place first-hand helped ground the discussion in reality: what works, what brings people together, and what it takes to create and sustain such spaces.
The conversation naturally moved from inspiration to practice. Participants shared their own experiences with the programme, discussed opportunities for its further development and identified the first challenges to address within the project. Open exchange and debate proved essential in looking for new ways to support high-quality public space and strengthen the active involvement of residents.
At the same time, ULG is also a space for reflection. By learning from partner cities and exploring approaches that have proven successful elsewhere, Ostrava can reflect on its own practice and identify new ways to further develop the Tvoříme prostor programme. These insights will become part of the Improvement Plan, ensuring that the transfer process enriches both the partner cities and Ostrava itself.
Partner cities: from international inspiration to local action
For partner cities – Granollers, Rouen Métropole Normandie, Pescara, Bucharest District 6, Koszalin and Niš – the first ULG meetings opened the door to a shared learning journey. Local stakeholders were introduced to the We Create Space network and explored Ostrava’s good practice in detail – not only the grant scheme itself, but also the principles that make it work: practical coordination between departments, manageable administrative steps, engagement of local stakeholders and a realistic approach to implementation and long-term care.
The discussions moved from inspiration to practical questions. How can a similar approach work in a different legal or administrative environment? What funding opportunities already exist? Who should be involved? How can communities take part not only in generating new ideas, but also in maintaining and caring for transformed spaces in the long term?
Through these conversations, each city began identifying its own opportunities for adaptation. The aim is not to copy Ostrava’s model, but to build on its principles and connect them with local strengths, challenges and existing initiatives.
The ULGs across the network reflect this diversity. Their members represent a broad spectrum of local actors – from municipal departments and public institutions to experts, universities, NGOs, community organisations, businesses and, in many cases, residents and neighbourhood representatives.
Bringing these different perspectives together helps cities design Testing Actions that respond to real local needs. Together with their ULGs, partners will develop Transfer Plans outlining how the adapted good practice will be applied in practice and tailored to each local context.
Turning shared knowledge into real change
With all ULGs now established, the We Create Space network is moving from understanding Ostrava’s good practice to adapting and testing new approaches in different local contexts. Over the coming months, local groups will continue meeting, exchanging experiences and shaping Testing Actions.
While each city faces its own challenges and opportunities, all partners share a common ambition: to create public spaces together with the people who use them.
Through the work of ULGs, We Create Space is not only inspiring new approaches – it is building new connections, strengthening cooperation between local stakeholders and creating the foundations for more vibrant public spaces across European cities.