Networks and cities' news

Future STEAM Cities: Seven Lessons from Five European Cities

After two years of collaboration, learning and innovation, the Future STEAM Cities network reflects on the experiences that shaped its journey. In this article, lead expert Mónica Nagore Santandreu shares seven key lessons drawn from the work of Aveiro, Alytus, Kolding, Płock and Oulu, highlighting how transnational cooperation, knowledge exchange and the URBACT methodology helped cities strengthen their STEAM strategies and prepare for future investment and innovation. Read the full article to discover the insights, challenges and lasting impact of the network.

Tvoříme prostor: A successful model for community-driven public space co-creation

Tvoříme prostor (We Create Space) is an award-winning municipal grant programme from the City of Ostrava that empowers communities to co-create public spaces. By combining small-scale funding with strong citizen involvement, it shows how cities can achieve lasting impact through community-led initiatives. 

Quartely Network Journal 4

RECUP Reaches a New Milestone: From Project Closure to the URBACT City Festival

After two inspiring years of learning, testing and building connections across Europe, the URBACT RECUP (REinventing Culture in Urban Places) Innovation Transfer Network has officially come to an end. Yet for the six partner cities, this is far from the end of the story. The journey continues through new investments, local initiatives, partnerships and long-term plans that will keep the RECUP legacy alive in the years ahead. 

Lessons Learned from RECUP: How Culture Can Help Cities Rebuild Connection, Belonging and Participation

Over the last two years, the URBACT Innovation Transfer Network REinventing Culture in Urban Places (RECUP) explored how culture and creativity can help cities respond to challenges such as loneliness, social isolation, fragmented communities and declining participation. Building on Újbuda’s CUP4Creativity Good Practice, six European partners tested new approaches, developed local solutions and translated their learning into Integrated Investment Plans for future implementation.

PODCAST: Mantova (Italy): "It's about having time for yourself"

The latest episode of the Residents of the Future podcast takes listeners to Mantova, Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage city and partner in the URBACT Residents of the Future network.

Hosted by Tiago Ferreira, the episode features Caterina Salvo from the Municipality of Mantova and Iulia Puscasu, member of the URBACT Local Group (ULG) and co-founder of Bug Magazine. Together, they discuss how a city renowned for its Renaissance heritage is responding to population decline by building on its cultural identity, quality of life and community connections.