Culture Converge 2026 Lisbon

By providing spaces for dialogue and cultural resistance, socio-cultural centres are uniquely positioned to actively protect freedom of expression, counter dominant narratives, and bridge divides between different parts of our increasingly polarised societies.

At Culture Converge 2026 in Lisbon, we will discover, discuss, and collectively negotiate new approaches and tools to empower citizens through culture and promote trust within communities facing fragmentation and disinformation. Learning from inspiring practices already in place, we will reflect on ways to (re)build physical and digital spaces that nurture community through culture and the arts.

Today, tackling the issue of democratic participation also means rethinking our approach to the digital sphere. The conference will also be an invitation to explore ways to navigate the digital disruption critically and together, conceiving the possibility of digital practices and platforms that truly connect us, and, in some instances, of opting out of the digital domain altogether.

Hosted by our member Carpintarias de São Lázaro, the event is open to both ENCC members and non-members from all over Europe and beyond. We welcome socio-culture practitioners and other stakeholders related to the sector, such as students, academics, artists, activists, representatives of civil society organisations, and local and European-level policy makers. Together, we will work to shape long-term, cross-sectorial strategies and approaches to the issues at stake, within and beyond Europe.

Culture Converge 2026 will also feature the presentation and awarding of the three winners of Up Grants 2026: culture for democracy.