Networks and cities' news

III Quarterly Network Journal - When Culture Becomes a Cure for Urban Loneliness

Cities across Europe are increasingly turning to culture as a tool for strengthening social connections and improving well-being. This edition of the RECUP Network Journal explores how arts, creativity, and cultural participation can help address loneliness and social isolation, while supporting more inclusive and resilient urban communities. 

From Loneliness to Connection: How Bielsko Biała Turned Culture into a Shared Urban Experience

In Bielsko-Biała, culture is no longer treated as a calendar of events. It has become a living process that happens between people, in everyday places, and through shared experiences. This shift shaped the city’s Testing Actions developed within the URBACT IV REinventing Culture in Urban Places project’s network. 

Bielsko-Biała began not with assumptions, but with listening. Through its URBACT Local Group, the city gathered cultural institutions, artists, NGOs, community stakeholders and reprsentatives of municipal departments, to examine one of today’s most urgent urban challenges: loneliness.

Loneliness was understood not only as a personal feeling, but as a structural issue affecting many European cities. The ULG group identified several causes: weakened social ties, lack of belonging to place and community, difficulty initiating contact with others, growing individualism, digital overstimulation leading to isolation, reduced sense of safety in public space, and limited influence over shared urban environments.

This diagnosis led to the creation of the “Tree of Loneliness” – a participatory tool mapping the roots and consequences of social isolation. More importantly, it created a clear direction for action. The city chose to test whether culture, when designed as a participatory and place-based experience, could rebuild relationships between people, neighbourhoods and nature.

Highlights from the 4th RECUP Core Network Meeting in Bielsko Biała

Earlier this March, representatives from the RECUP network gathered in the vibrant Polish city of Bielsko‑Biała for the 4th Core Network Meeting. Over two days (4–5 March 2026), partners immersed themselves in workshops, peer‑learning sessions, study visits, inspiring cultural experiences, and reflective discussions on loneliness, art, and community well‑being.

Hosted by the Municipality of Bielsko‑Biała—recently named Polish Capital of Culture 2026—the meeting offered an excellent backdrop to explore how culture can reshape urban spaces and strengthen social connection.

Mancomunitat l’Horta Nord: Connecting a Territory Through a Shared Cultural Platform

Within the URBACT RECUP (Reinventing Culture in Urban Places) project, the Testing Action of the Mancomunitat l’Horta Nord was born from a shared diagnosis across its ten municipalities: the territory enjoyed a rich and diverse cultural life, yet lacked the cohesion, visibility and coordination needed to fully harness it. Cultural activities were often developed in isolation, with fragmented audiences, duplicated efforts and limited collaboration between cultural officers, libraries and local actors.

The challenge was clear: cultural vitality existed — what was missing was a shared system to organise, amplify and connect it.

“Gazdagréti Ünnepelő” - Preparing for the holidays together in Gazdagrét A Month of Community, Creativity, and Celebration in Újbuda

Between 28 November and 20 December 2025, Gazdagrét came alive with Gazdagréti Ünnepelő – preparing for the holidays together, a vibrant Testing Action within the RECUP project. What began as more than 40 ideas from the Local Action Group (ULG) grew into a full Advent Calendar of community‑driven programs—each one designed to reflect local needs, encourage participation, and strengthen neighbourhood bonds.

Voices from the stage: Interview with Alicia Piquer, deputy mayor of Rafelbunyol

The URBACT RECUP Network continues its journey across Europe, collecting stories, insights, and lived experiences from cities committed to strengthening local communities.