Current News

Current Activities

Apart from the Creative Bureaucracy Initiative, the RISE Cities programme and Next Renaissance projects below are a few of the more interesting projects and publications from the recent period.

Bilbao Metropoli 30:

My long term relationship with Bilbao continues including co-curating their annual ‘Metropolis of the Future’ series as well as their conference called the ‘Urban Revolution’ on the 25th/26th October 2023.

Speakers include: Gabriella Gomez Mont, Christian Bason, Geci Karuri-Sebina, David Miller, Sophie Howe, Carlos Moreno, Carmen Santana Serra, Bruce Katz, Larry ye Hock Ng and Farah Naz.

For further information:

contact Ainhoa Irazu:

The Mobi Summit in Lisbon/Cascais

Charles co-curates the Mobi Summit https://www.portugalms.com/ with Paulo Tavares of the Global Media Group, taking place on 29th -30th November 2023.

2023 website will follow next week

We define mobility broadly as an engine for human development and opportunity.

Read article

The Goethe Institut:

Goethe project: Charles is an advisor to the Goethe Institut’s new project called ‘Cities Ahead

The Cultural & Creative Industries Support Playbook’

Why and how can the 159 German cultural institutes across the globe get more involved with the whole spectrum of the creative cultural sectors from not-for- profits to the commercial realm.

Download

Urgency and the transformative imperative:

Another city is possible for METREX The Network of European Metropolitan Regions and Areas

Read and Download

Also of interest: Transformation and Place:
Reflecting on the culture of governance and the governance of culture

Read and Download

Coventry on the Couch:

This is the first study, as far as we know, to psychoanalyze a city with the help of a psychotherapist. It asks ‘what is Coventry like given its history, including being destroyed in the war and its car industry declining. Does this significantly affect how it goes about its future.

Download The Book

Kiel: An emerging Creative City

Another assessment has been of Coventry’s sister city Kiel, in Germany

This is part of our Urban Psyche programme undertaken jointly with Chris Murray. See https://www.urbanpsyche.org/

Kiel eine aufstrebende kreative Stadt/ Kiel an emerging creative city

(In German p. 1-64 & English p. 65-120)

The aim of the longer term Kiel Creative City evaluation project has been to assess from a wide range of perspectives the extent to which the city as a whole is enabling a culture of diverse possibilities – a culture that embraces a mindset of “yes, if …” rather than “no, because …”

This included also a psychological survey and assessment. Kiel was one of the first cities to set up a dedicated Creative City department and their intention has been to spread its influence in everything it does. Like most European cities Kiel is mid-sized and lives to some extent under the shadow of Hamburg. Yet not being too big can also be an advantage, such as cheaper housing or less hectic quality of life. Kiel over the years has won many prizes such as the German ‘participative city’ award.

VisitBerlin - the travel portal for Berlin

Acting as a critical friend to the organization broadening the discussion about the potential directions for VisitBerlin to ensure its activities meet the complex needs of all its partners – the inhabitants, the hospitality and congress industries in the light of demands for tourism to rethink its role in city development in a sustainable way.