Culture Converge 2026

Like every year, the conference will offer a blend of panel discussions with high-level speakers, workshops, and informal moments of networking. Participants will also get a chance to discover and actively engage with the local socio-cultural ecosystem thanks to study visits and a rich evening programme.

Wednesday, May 20th

• 09:30 - 12:30 ENCC General Assembly (for ENCC members only)

• 13:00 - 14:30 Welcome lunch and registrations

• 14:30 - 14:45 Official opening and welcome words by the ENCC chair, event hosts, and local authorities

• 15:00 - 16:30 Opening panel + Q&A with: Femke Snelting, artist and designer developing projects at the intersection of design, feminism and free software, TITiPI; Sara Brighenti, Deputy commissioner of the National Plan for the Arts, Portugal, and promoter and co-author of the Porto Santo Charter; Ivana Maraš Jovanović, Director of Student Cultural Centre Kragujevac, Serbia; more speakers TBC. Moderated by Connor Benedict, Carpintarias de São Lázaro

• 16:30 – 17:00 Up Grants 2026 award ceremony hosted by Théo Majcher, artistic director of projects at ALTER EGO (X)

• 17:00 - 17:30 Break with networking activities

• 17:30 - 19:30 Cultural visits (locations TBC)

• 19:30 onwards Rooftop dinner an networking time at the event venue, with open mic, jam sessions, and more

◦         In parallel: collection of feedback, reflections, and emotions by Medeber Teatro

Thursday, May 21st

• 8:30 - 9:30 Resilience session by Finca la Furriola (optional)

• 9:30 - 10:30 Inspirational conversation with Lea Bebek, DKC Sarajevo and Valeriia Borokh, Yermilov Centre

• 10:30 - 11:00 Presentation of the ENCC publication on AI by Lucy Perineau, coordinator of the ENCC working group on digital ethics

• 11:00 - 11:30 Coffee break

• 11:30 - 13:00 Workshops:

  • "Digital ethics and democracy: understanding and navigating the digital transformation together" - by Up Grants 2026 winners

  • "Dialogue in times of polarisation: bridging divides and nurturing dialogue in increasingly polarised societies" - by Up Grants 2026 winners

  • "Socio-cultural centres as laboratories of civic participation and spaces of cultural resistance in times of social, political, and environmental crisis" - by Up Grants 2026 winners

  • "From local identity to systemic change: cultural agents shaping Non-Urban futures" - by Centro de Estudios Sociais, IN SITU project partner

• 13:00 - 14:30 Lunch break

• 14:30 - 15:00 Keynote speech by Stacco Troncoso, Disco.coop (TBC)

• 15:00 - 16:30 Workshops by ENCC members:

  • "Where we stand in-between: exploring grey zones in cultural democracy" - by Emre Erbirer, Espas

  • "Infectious generosity: integrating philanthropy into strategic plans for democracy and culture" - by Ludovico Esposito, Sud Sonico

  • "Crisis as a catalyst: Ukrainian cultural institutions as models of resilience" - by Ukranian Cultural Foundation

  • "Building digital space for all visual artists" - by Lynne Vermeulen, Kunstwerkt

  • "Making together: artistic residencies as tools for community engagement" - by Carpintarias de São Lázaro

• 16:30 - 19:00 Local study visits

• 19:30 Dinner and cultural programme

◦         In parallel: collection of feedback, reflections, and emotions by Medeber Teatro

Friday, May 22nd

• 8:30 - 9:30 Resilience session by Finca la Furriola (optional)

• 09:30 - 11:00 Workshops by ENCC partners:

  • "Beyond inclusion: cultural democracy in an age of climate displacement" - insights from the INTRACOMP project by University of Verona

  • "How to: Community-Based Research for Cultural Policy - Participatory methods from INTRACOMP, d@rts, and IN SITU" - by the Institute for Cultural Policy, University of Hildesheim;

  • "Ecosystems, Stories, Roles: Co-designing ENCC's Impact Framework" - by Anna Maria Ranczakowska, JuST project researcher

• 11:00 - 11:30 Coffee break

• 11:30 - 13:00 "Tools, alliances, and next steps: how we strengthen democracy together" - closing panel with: Ophélie Masson, deputy director of European Alternatives; Beatriz Cantinho, assistant professor at the Theater Department at the University of Évora, integrated researcher at CHAIA, collaborator at CIAC laboratory at the University of Algarve; more speakers TBD

◦         Reasoned wrap up by Medeber Teatro

• 14:00 - 18:00 Closing block party with street food, music, and more

Reaching the venue

• Closest airport: Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/336112741

• Closest train station: Lisboa Santa Apolónia, Lisboa Sete Rios https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/11307500429

• Closest long-distance bus station: Sete Rios https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/387760167#map=19/38.740673/-9.167477

• Closest metro station: Martim Moniz (linha Verde) https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/898593442#map=19/38.717387/-9.136025

• Closest bus stop: Rua de Sao Lazaro (Bus 760) https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/6471133511#map=19/38.718190/-9.136366

Accommodation suggestions

Hotels:

• Tings Lisbon https://tingslisbon.com/

• Torel Palace https://www.torelpalacelisbon.com/pt/

• A. S. Hotel Lisbon https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/454406210

• New Style Lisbon Hotel https://www.newstyle.pt/pt/index.html

• My Story Hotel https://www.mystoryhotels.com/pt/

• Hotel Mundial https://www.hotel-mundial.pt/pt/sobre-nos/

• VIP Hotels https://www.viphotels.com/pt/Menu/Homepage.aspx

• Olissipo Castelo https://www.olissippohotels.com/en/olissippo-castelo/

• Memmo Principe Real https://www.memmohotels.com/principereal/

Hostels:

• This is Lisbon Hostel https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/244954498

• Sant Jordi Hostel https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5043170666

Neighbourhoods for apartment stays

• Santa Maria Maior

• Arroios

• Graca

• Estefania