Argyro Barata, coordinator of the Culture for Change network, participated in the two-day program of talks, discussions, workshops and an exhibition entitled “Paths for transformative cultural policies” of Tale of X Cities, held at the Goethe-Institut in Thessaloniki, which is dedicated to exploring the city's multidimensional paths. The conference offers a platform to discuss the challenges and opportunities related to urban development, cultural heritage and civic engagement. Through various lectures, workshops and discussions, participants explore the various aspects of contemporary urban life and the contribution of cultural practices to the development of cities.

Argyro Barata coordinated a workshop on cultural participation. In this workshop, the team worked with the EU-instituted participatory dialogue process, Citizens Panel, as implemented at the Voices of Culture and Future of Europe conference. The participants envisioned how this model would work for planning interventions in the GLAM spaces (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) belonging to the local government, in the event that citizens also participated in the planning.

This experience has highlighted the importance of active participation of citizens in shaping cultural policies and practices. Through the Citizens Panel process, citizens can express their views, contribute ideas and actively participate in the planning and implementation of cultural actions that involve their community. Argyro Barata, through her workshop, highlighted the dynamics and usefulness of this approach, promoting a more democratic and participatory management of cultural heritage and GLAM spaces.

Through her participation in the X-Cities conference, Argyro Barata has contributed to the promotion of cultural participation and collective action, offering valuable knowledge and experiences to the participants and opening new avenues for cooperation and development of cultural initiatives in our cities.

Discover more: https://www.x-cities.net/paths.html