World Cities Culture Forum
Civic leaders from over 40 cities across six continents form the World Cities Culture Forum, a leading global network. The network champions the transformative role of culture in urban development, and acts as a driver to create equitable, prosperous and sustainable cities.
Justine Simons OBE founded it and chairs it as London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries.
The World Cities Culture Forum hosts the annual flagship event called the World Cities Culture Summit. It is a solutions-focused event encouraging city leaders to share cultural policy ideas that improve transform cities and the lives of their citizens. Over half of previous attendees have implemented or improved a cultural policy in their city as a result of attending.
World Cities Culture Summit 2024: Dubai
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority hosted the 13th World Cities Culture Summit from 30 October to 1 November 2024. Over 140 senior leaders from 36 cities attended the summit. The summit organisers held the event for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region, and focused on the theme “Tomorrow’s Culture: How Will the Next Generation Shape Our World?”
The network launched a new report titled 'Nothing About Us Without Us: Youth and Culture in Global Cities Today'. The report highlights culture’s role in youth empowerment, civic engagement, and the future city policymaking.
World Cities Culture Summit 2023: São Paulo
The World Cities Culture Summit 2023 was hosted by São Paulo from 25-27 October 2023 under the theme of ‘Culture, Courage and Leadership for a New World’.
City leaders discussed the most pressing challenges faced by creative cities today covering topics from AI and climate change to power sharing and culture in conflict. More than 140 representatives from 40 cities participated.
World Cities Culture Forum Summit 2022: Helsinki
In October 2022 Helsinki hosted the World Cities Culture Summit 2022, bringing together delegates from over 40 cities to discuss how culture policy can address local and global challenges. Delegates debated urgent issues including how culture is supporting the post-COVID-19 recovery, the support of creative spaces within rapid growing global cities and new funding models.
2022 Report
The summit coincided with the launch of World Cities Culture Forum Report which gathers more than 200 case studies demonstrating the resilience of cities during the Covid-19 pandemic and the use of culture as a tool to face social and economic challenges. Read the latest report.
World Cities Culture Summit 2019: Lisbon
City of Lisbon © José Frade
In October 2019, Lisbon will host leading cultural officials from around the world at the eighth World Cities Culture Summit.
World Cities Culture Summit 2018: San Francisco
In 2018, San Francisco hosted officials from around the world at the Forum’s annual summit.
This included discussions on place-keeping for culture and communities; arts, innovation and technology; cultural equity and diversity; and the impacts of technology on culture.
World Cities Culture Summit 2017: Seoul
In November 2017, Seoul hosted officials from around the world to share experiences and devise responses to a new civic agenda for World Cities.
This included discussions on culture and civic engagement, cultural participation and well-being.
The full programme and information about all participants can be found online on the official Seoul Summit website.
Previous events
Read the World Cities Culture Report 2022.
For all the myriad of challenges, cities are amazing places. They spark new ideas, grow entrepreneurs and power national economies; they trace histories, celebrate cultures and bring people together from all over the world. The raw ingredients couldn't be better. People continue to flock to cities for all that they offer - to work, to play and to live a full life. In the midst of this rapidly changing environment, culture has emerged as a powerful force.
Read the World Cities Culture Report 2018
In October 2016, Moscow hosted officials from around the globe highlighting the use of culture in the urban space.
The summit focused on the urgent challenges facing world cities in the twenty-first century, including rising populations, increased inequality, soaring property prices and environmental issues threatening sustainability and liveability.
Read the Moscow Summit 2016 overview.
Hosted by the Mayor of London, the fourth World Cities Culture Summit brought together representatives of 31 cities for high level talks aimed at sharing experience and formulating long-term policies putting culture at the heart of future city planning.
Participants tackled persistent issues affecting world cities and each had its own story to tell about successes and challenges.
Read the London World Cities Culture Summit overview
Read the World Cities Culture Report 2015 report, highlighting the inspiration, evidence and the city perspectives from 32 World Cities of Culture around the world.
All around the world, culture is having an extraordinary and far reaching impact on cities and their people. The results are extensive and profound. From cinemas in the Rio favelas, workspace for artists in Toronto, cultural quarters in Moscow, tourism in Amsterdam, urban renewal through street art in Bogota, the Olympic legacy in London and social circus in Buenos Aires.
Read the World Cities Culture Report 2015
The City of Amsterdam hosted the last World Cities Culture Summit in November 2014.
City leaders, cultural experts and senior representatives from more than 25 cities around the globe explored the essential role of culture in the success of global cities. There were interactive sessions and working groups. Amsterdam’s approach to cultural policy was used as the starting point for discussion. Partner cities shared their successes, as well as their challenges.
Read the overview for this summit and download the World Cities Culture Report 2014.
The cities came together to examine and champion the importance of culture in world cities. The first version of this report brought together twelve cities and was launched at a summit in London held at the same time as the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Out of the inaugural event in London was born the World Cities Culture Forum - a fitting legacy for the London Games.
Read the World Cities Culture Report 2013.
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