How can culture help when democratic values are being challenged? What space should artists occupy in public life to express their opinions and values? What can cultural professionals do to uphold freedom of expression? These were some questions guiding the Eurocities Culture Forum 2026, held in Gothenburg from 30 September to 2 October.
Under the theme ‘Freedom of expression in a new era: Cities culture & democratic resilience’, cultural professionals and political representatives from 65 European cities gathered to discuss how cities can protect freedom of expression, create equal opportunities for expression, safeguard cultural rights and encourage civic engagement.
The opening keynote set the tone with a blunt picture of reality. Staffan I. Lindberg, Founding Director of the V-Dem Institute, shared that only 26% of the world’s population currently lives in a democracy, while in 2005 it was 50%.
Cities are feeling this pressure too: in this year’s Eurocities Pulse Mayors survey, 33% of mayors identified democracy as one of their biggest priorities.
Against this backdrop, the meeting in Gothenburg was an inspiring reminder that cities are already treating arts and culture as a baseline condition for healthy democratic life, not as add-on entertainment.
Turning to culture to resist autocratic governments
Across Europe, cities are acknowledging culture as an enabler of democracy: when culture is defended, democracy is defended too. Yet this relationship is reciprocal: democratic principles must also be embedded within the cultural sector itself, especially when democracy is not upheld at a national level.
Cities are better placed to respond to pressure on cultural freedom when they have strong political support locally and strong networks of partners beyond city hall
In Bratislava, cultural policy has become increasingly entangled with national political developments. Presenting the city’s experience, Zuzana Borošová, Cultural Data Coordinator at the City of Bratislava, described “the story of culture in Slovakia today” as “a story of democratic backsliding” which is directly impacting the city’s cultural institutions.
Since 2023, state interventions, including substantial cuts to public funding, have placed pressure on organisations across the cultural sector in Bratislava. According to Borošová, some organisations that previously received around half of their funding from national sources are now receiving only a fraction of that support. Key national institutions have also been weakened, with more than 100 employees leaving the Slovak National Gallery, and over 15 directors replaced through non-transparent processes.
In response, Bratislava has focused on monitoring impacts on cultural organisations, advocating alongside other municipalities and civil society groups. The city has also sought to create spaces for dialogue and cooperation through initiatives such as Bratislava Culture Forum, which brings together cultural organisations, NGOs and other stakeholders to generate new collaborations, funding opportunities and lower barriers for the cross-sector support of culture.
For Borošová, one of the key lessons is the importance of solidarity and collaboration. “We need to make policymaking participatory,” she advised. According to her, “cities are better placed to respond to pressure on cultural freedom when they have strong political support locally and strong networks of partners beyond city hall.”
From spectators to active participants
Embedding democracy in culture also means exploring how cultural institutions can actively strengthen civic participation.
The city of Paris has taken this approach a step further through the Concorde Theatre, a cultural institution designed to place democracy at the heart of arts and culture.
“Paris is a city of freedom of speech, of expression, of arts,” said Elsa Boublil, Director of the Concorde Theatre in the City of Paris. “Now, it’s also a city of democracy.”
The Concorde Theatre combines artistic programming with debates, citizen participation, discussions with journalists and researchers, and opportunities for residents to engage directly with societal challenges. Rather than seeing audiences as passive spectators, the theatre encourages them to become active participants.
We are a rope between citizens, artists, politicians, journalists and researchers
“We are a rope between citizens, artists, politicians, journalists and researchers,” Boublil explained. Participation is central to the model. Some performances bring residents onto the stage to share their own stories and experiences. In the coming months, a citizens’ committee will also help shape future programming priorities.
The objective, Boublil said, is not to provide answers but to create opportunities for reflection and debate. “If people go out with many questions, it’s better than going out with answers.”
In this regard, Turin shared a similar philosophy through its Democracy Biennale, a city-led festival established in 2006 to promote democratic participation through culture.
Held every two years, the festival brings together academics, writers, journalists and citizens for lectures, performances, discussions and workshops exploring major social and political issues. A strong emphasis is placed on young people, with schools, workshops and educational activities running between editions to encourage critical thinking and civic engagement.
According to Caterina Pasqui, Project Manager of Fondazione per la Culture Torino, the festival’s purpose is “to promote active and widespread culture of democracy.” “Democracy is not something that we can say exists or disappears, but something that we create,” she said. Democratising culture means establishing long-term co-creation with citizens rather than token consultations.
Cultural institutions as spaces for democratic dialogue
If democracy is something we create, it needs physical spaces where this can be put into practice. Cultural institutions can be those spaces: they bring people into contact with different ideas and perspectives and create the conditions for people to take part in public life as active citizens.
Malmö shows how this can work in practice through its annual Forbidden Culture Week, which highlights books, music, artworks and creative expressions that have been censored or banned around the world. By showcasing examples of censorship from different countries and historical periods, the initiative encourages residents to reflect on the importance of artistic freedom and freedom of expression before they come under threat.
“We take all these programmes for granted,” explained Annika Cedhagen, Director of Culture Affairs, City of Malmö. “But what if all of this disappears right in front of our eyes because someone says that the books we read or the music we listen to, or the art we like is forbidden?”
Gothenburg’s libraries work on the same premise, making freedom of expression a visible part of city life. For Martin Holmquist, Programme Coordinator in the Gothenburg City Library, libraries are playing an increasingly important role in opening public conversation about democratic values.
Democracy is not something that we can say exists or disappears, but something that we create
Gothenburg’s network of libraries and cultural centres hosts thousands of public events every year, welcoming millions of visitors. The city’s main library alone receives around 900,000 annual visits and serves as a hub for talks, debates, exhibitions and community activities.
With this audience reach, flagship initiatives like Forbidden Voices become even more relevant. Inspired by Malmö’s work, this city-wide programme takes place across libraries and cultural centres and gives citizens opportunities to discuss freedom of expression, artistic freedom and democratic rights.
Yet this work is becoming more challenging.
“Our experience is that the tone and intensity of the criticism has sharpened” over the past decade, Holmquist noted, pointing to growing political polarisation and the amplifying effect of social media.
In response, Gothenburg has developed a dedicated policy framework for public programming. The aim is to provide staff with practical guidance when navigating difficult discussions around democracy, inclusion and freedom of expression.
Challenges to upholding artistic expression
Challenges to protect artistic freedom are present in other cities, such as Leipzig.
Karin Rolle-Bechler, Senior Consultant for Cultural Policy at the City of Leipzig, presented two controversial cultural projects that generated intense public and political debate. The first concerned the documentary Lord of the Toys, screened at DOK Leipzig, one of Europe’s oldest documentary film festivals. The film follows a group of young men involved in far-right circles and prompted calls for the screening to be cancelled.
Instead, the city stood by the festival’s artistic independence.
“We keep freedom of speech, and artistic freedom, and artistic autonomy,” Rolle-Bechler explained, describing the decision to trust the expertise of the festival and its jury. The film was ultimately screened and went on to receive the festival’s top award.
A second case involving the planned performance of And Here I Am by Palestinian artist Ahmed Tobasi proved more complicated. Political pressure, public criticism and local resolutions related to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement led to the cancellation of the performance. It was later staged independently outside the city’s cultural infrastructure.
Reflecting on the experience, Rolle-Bechler described it as a “learning process”. She emphasised that municipalities must continue balancing artistic freedom with other fundamental rights, including protection from discrimination and antisemitism.
The role of cultural professionals
The two cases in Leipzig show that defending artistic freedom is rarely a straightforward process, and that much depends on the judgement of those who make decisions in practice. This raises a broader question: what is the role of cultural professionals in safeguarding freedom of expression and democratic practices?
As Karin Dalborg, CEO Nätverkstan, highlighted in her letter ‘Dear Cultural Bureaucrat,’ cultural professionals have a democratic responsibility, they are “co-creators of democracy,” shaping the conditions in which citizens take part in democratic life.
Democracy needs public servants who think for themselves. Not disobedience. Not activism. Judgement.
Cultural officials need to be able to explain why decisions were taken, which criteria were used, and how professional judgement shaped the outcome. “Democracy needs public servants who think for themselves,” Dalborg says. “Not disobedience. Not activism. Judgement.” Culture professionals have the responsibility to promote and enable democracy and equality.
Treating culture as infrastructure
The examples presented in Gothenburg all point in the same direction. Cities are defending culture as a space for expression, and they are also asking how cultural institutions can be more participatory, open to dialogue, and accountable in their decision-making.
Rather than viewing culture as a collection of individual projects or events, many cities are increasingly treating it as infrastructure: something that supports participation, builds trust and contributes to the long-term resilience of communities.
The strong participation of cities in the Gothenburg Culture Forum 2026 was in itself a signal of this commitment; there is already a will to act collectively and learn from one another. Looking ahead, the challenge will be to build on the lessons of Gothenburg, ensuring that freedom of expression continues to be safeguarded, that citizens continue to participate in their cultural and democratic lives and that cities continue to provide spaces for culture to prosper.
To continue this conversation, an upcoming publication will gather all city examples that were presented in the Culture Forum together with some key trends and conclusions.
The Eurocities Culture Forum 2026, ´Freedom of expression in a new era – How cities can strengthen democratic resilience as agents for art and culture’, took place in Gothenburg between 30 September and 2 October 2026. Pictures of the event can be found here.
