BILBAO: A STRATEGIC CONTEXT FOR THE 2026 ACADEMY
Hosting this edition of the ENCATC Academy in Bilbao, in the heart of the Basque Country, provides a unique and compelling framework for exploring sustainability in cultural management and policy.
Over the past three decades, Bilbao has become an international reference for urban, cultural, and social transformation, evolving from an industrial city into a dynamic hub of innovation, creativity, and sustainability-driven development. Its commitment to regeneration through culture, strong public governance, and integrated sustainability strategies makes it an ideal living laboratory for the Academy’s mission. Bilbao is deeply aligned with global sustainability agendas. As the hosting city of the Local 2030 Coalition, Bilbao champions the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), integrating cultural participation, social inclusion, and ecological responsibility across its policies and institutions. This alignment reinforces the Academy’s focus on the triple transformation—green, social, and digital—while offering participants a tangible example of how cities can harness culture as a driver of systemic change.
The city’s robust cultural ecosystem further enriches this edition. Its infrastructures represent diverse approaches to sustainability, innovation, and community engagement, which participants will explore through a series of study visits:
- Arriaga Theatre, a historic institution integrating sustainability into its organisational strategy;
- Harrobia, a pioneering performing arts centre supporting creation, experimentation, and ecological awareness
- Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, a global icon of cultural-led regeneration and a key actor in advancing sustainable museum practices
- Azkuna Zentroa is a landmark cultural centre that illustrates Bilbao’s vision of culture as a driver for innovation, participation, and sustainability
- La Perrera, a creative hub nurturing local talent, artistic experimentation, and socially engaged cultural practices
These visits, together with a programme enriched by experts and practitioners from Euskadi, will allow participants to engage directly with local perspectives, insights, and case studies reflecting the Basque Country’s leadership in sustainable cultural development. Their contributions will ground the Academy in a strong regional context while providing relevant, transferable knowledge for professionals working in diverse cultural and policy environments. Through this strategic location, the 2026 ENCATC Academy offers not only a learning experience but also an immersion into one of Europe’s most emblematic examples of cultural transformation, making Bilbao an essential partner in advancing sustainability across the cultural and creative sectors.
