Amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, shrinking civic space, and growing reflection on how culture is governed and funded, existing models of cultural institutions, shaped by long-standing approaches to public subsidy, curatorship, and governance, are being tested by changing conditions and emerging needs.
Creating Futures: Rethinking Cultural Institutions, Infrastructure, and Investment convenes 45 institutional leaders, cultural funders, policymakers, private sector stakeholders, and creative economy actors for a global exchange on the future of cultural infrastructure. Taking place at Salzburg Global in 2026, this programme will explore emerging institutional models, strategic investment approaches, and the evolving role of culture in shaping cohesive, resilient, and forward-looking societies.
This programme will offer a platform for strategic dialogue, reflective practice, and cross-regional exchange, designed to surface practical insights, strengthen relationships, and support the cultural ecosystems of the future.
The programme will focus on:
- Expanding the Definition of Cultural Infrastructure
- Designing Sustainable and Context-Driven Investment Models
- Rethinking Institutional Governance and Accountability
- Aligning Cultural Infrastructure with Global Development Goals
Programmes at Salzburg Global are co-designed with participants who work together to determine the programme agenda. Participants should be available for the following dates:
- Co-Creation Meeting 1 (Online): 19 March 2026
- Co-Creation Meeting 2 (Online): 26 March 2026,
- In-Person Programme (Salzburg, Austria) 13–18 April 2026
Selection will prioritise participants from across the Majority World, including Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of the Middle East. They prioritise the participation of individuals from communities historically less visible in the arts and culture sector. They will actively seek to represent people of colour, disabled individuals, those who identify as LGBT+, and participants from low-income, Indigenous, ethnically diverse, or migrant backgrounds.
There are limited spots for partially funded participation via scholarships (covering travel, room and/or board costs).
