This session brings together two exceptional thought leaders: a pioneering media artist and long-time Artistic Director of Ars Electronica, and an accomplished curator known for advancing South Asian perspectives in contemporary visual art. Together, they will delve into the future of culture, diversity and knowledge systems in a world increasingly shaped by rapid technological advancement unseen since the industrial revolution. How can we leverage emerging technologies and digital platforms to democratise access to knowledge? How can we create safe spaces for diverse narratives in a polarised world? How can technology contribute positively to dynamic cultural discourses? Together they will consider strategies for future-proofing culture and technology in a fragile world marked by deep fault lines.

This plenary delves into the ethics and governance of AI, focusing on strategies to future-proof the CCS in an era of accelerated technological development. As the CCS explore the potential of AI, what strategies can ensure that these technologies are developed and used ethically, supporting creativity while safeguarding against potential misuse? Do moral and societal codes apply in the AI world, and how do we reconcile liberty with the rights and responsibilities of the analogue world? Importantly, how can we more effectively leverage AI to protect human creativity and ensure a level playing field?

This plenary will explore a broad spectrum of rights related to culture, including cultural rights, labour rights, Intellectual Property and copyright, as well as the collective rights of Indigenous peoples, living cultures and traditional knowledge. Framing culture as both a sector and a dimension of society, the session will examine progress made, showcase good practices and identify critical gaps that need to be addressed and included in futureproofing policymaking. We will also explore how collaboration between cultural and non-cultural stakeholders can be strengthened to ensure the sustainability of the arts and culture ecosystem.

This panel discussion will explore the future of investment in culture as a cornerstone of sustainability for the CCS. In the past decade, public funding for culture has declined globally, even as the COVID-19 pandemic and rising polarisation have exposed vulnerabilities in investment models to sustain the CCS nationally and support transnational cultural exchange. The Pact for the Future adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2024 underscored the critical need for adequate investment to protect and promote culture, urging states to allocate sufficient resources to this vital sector.

How can public investment models be revitalised beyond the traditional funding and competitive models to ensure sustainable support for the CCS in a post-pandemic and increasingly expensive world? What innovative funding models are emerging at local, national and international levels to support the sector? What frameworks or policies can enhance the effectiveness and fairness of public-private partnerships? How can we work together across the ecology of stakeholders to secure the future of investment in culture?

To chart the future, we need to connect, to listen, sit together, find solutions together and give space to everyone. We need diverse perspectives and narratives, especially because the technical space is homogenising our information systems. This session will reflect on and share cultural considerations and protocols in these complex times; on the wisdom of ancestors and cultural custodians and leaders; and methodologies and practices that inspire, guide and inform our contexts. It will look to a possible call to action to advance and promote diversity of expressions based on sharing respect, and honouring the past and present, to build our future in harmony with the earth, the spirit and values of our living cultures.

This session will explore knowledge systems and cosmovisions drawing on the perspectives of local Indigenous communities and diverse living cultures. It aims to break from the often-hegemonic discussion formats in conferences.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted systemic inequalities, which have in recent times only been exacerbated, including in the digital space. There is urgent need for equitable access to resources, representation, information and platforms in the CCS, and in the virtual world. This panel will examine strategies and solutions across diverse global contexts that champion agency, access and inclusion to future-proof the CCS.

How do cultural policies ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities, and who is involved in their co-design? As these issues seem to permeate, what is missing? What are we getting wrong? How can we restructure policies and programmes to address systemic biases and effectively promote diversity? What innovative approaches bridge the digital divide in the cultural and creative sectors? How can we ensure that diverse professionals and communities have agency in shaping policies, practices and opportunities that reflect their needs and perspectives? This session will explore case studies that highlight leadership in discussions across sectors and pioneering work in this critical space.

The music economy has long been at the forefront of adapting to a rapidly evolving digital world; this unique position makes its lessons invaluable for the broader creative economy. This session will explore how the music industry's strategies for adapting to digital disruptions can be applied by other cultural sectors to help future-proof their ecosystems.

With most music now consumed online, the industry has transformed through digital distribution platforms, raising crucial questions about the role of algorithms in music discovery and income distribution between platforms and artists. How are the evolving dynamics of the global music industry creating new opportunities and challenges for artists, producers and platforms? What impact do emerging technologies like AI and non-fungible token (NFTs) have on revenue models such as streaming, licensing, and live performances, and how can we ensure fair compensation, rights ownership and sustainable music ecosystems that benefit both creators and consumers? What does it take to build a truly sustainable ecosystem that goes beyond merely generating revenue to one that prioritises inclusivity, accessibility and the sustainability of music as a cultural and economic force? Which stakeholders need to be involved in this process?

This long table session will assess the free flow and movement of ideas, cultural professionals, goods and services in today’s world, addressing both opportunities and challenges for transnational cultural cooperation. Where has progress been made, and what visible and invisible barriers still exist? What are the emerging challenges in this evolving landscape?   

The discussion – designed to blur the lines between speakers and the audience by fostering participatory conversations – will explore how international, regional, national and local frameworks can better facilitate the equitable mobility of artists and cultural goods across borders. Have preferential treatment measures been effective? What power dynamics shape international collaboration, and what changes are needed for more equitable cultural exchange? How can we balance mobility with imperatives for environmental sustainability? How can we improve the movement of ideas, artists and artworks across borders to foster greater intercultural understanding and dialogue in a divided world? 

Artists and cultural workers worldwide face significant challenges, including precarious employment, wage gaps and limited access to social protection. In addition, gender disparities remain a major issue, despite women comprising a substantial portion of the cultural workforce. Additionally, the absence of structured public policies to safeguard the social and economic rights of cultural workers undermines the sustainability of careers in the sector and threatens loss of talent. 

It has been well documented that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges, with over 10 million cultural sector jobs lost globally. These vulnerabilities have not stabilised, but rather persist. How do governments, civil society and employers collaborate to establish equitable labour standards for cultural workers, including robust social protections, fair remuneration and work-life balance? What policy innovations effectively address gender disparities? Do international frameworks support systemic improvements for cultural workers in a post-pandemic world and amidst emerging global crises? 

The Open Session offers delegates a unique platform to showcase their projects and pitch ideas to peers. Interested delegates will be invited to register their interest four weeks ahead of the Summit. During the session, up to 10 delegates will present their work in an engaging Pecha Kucha-style format, followed by an exchange of ideas with the audience.

At the close of MONDIACULT 2022 in Mexico City, culture ministers from around the world recognised culture as a global public good in the Declaration for Culture. In 2024, during the United Nations (UN) Summit of the Future, Member States adopted the Pact for the Future which calls for the integration of culture into economic, social and environmental policies.

In this context, the panel will explore pathways toward establishing a standalone goal for culture in the UN’s post-2030 Agenda. What successes can we build upon? And what further innovative collaborations are needed? This session will address these critical questions and discuss how we can create pathways to place culture at the heart of global development policies.

The workshop will explore the range of data available for evidence-based decision-making by public agencies for culture as well as civil society organisations. On one hand, this knowledge is essential for shaping effective public policies and building citizen trust in programmes and services. On the other, civil society can use data powerfully to advocate for their priorities, demonstrate impact and contribute meaningfully to sector growth. 

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to work with various data sources—including censuses, surveys, administrative records, and big data—in different contexts and assess their relevance and value in data analysis. Through collaborative exercises, participants will examine how their countries generate key knowledge about the CCSs and the mechanisms for sharing and using this information. Participants will be supported in developing tools to transform data into actionable insights for decision-making. 

As we navigate swift technological advancement and societal shifts, it becomes increasingly important to safeguard our cultural heritage. It remains crucial even as we build new systems and processes for future-proofing the CCS. Deeply tied to cultural identity, community memory, living cultures and traditional knowledge, heritage is an important legacy on which new futures should be built.

What kind of policy commitments do we need to protect and promote diverse heritages and living cultures? How can we ensure intergenerational cultural transmission and connectedness in a tech-driven age? What effective strategies exist to promote and revitalise diverse languages? How can participatory systems evolve to better protect heritage through future societal, technological and environmental changes? This panel discussion will explore how we can maintain strong connections to the past, even as we embrace new worlds.

Decentralised policymaking for culture can foster approaches that are more inclusive and context-sensitive, which enable local actors to set cultural priorities, lead policy execution, and manage and allocate funds for cultural development. Moreover, these models can strengthen a shared multistakeholder agenda across all tiers of government, increase community participation, reflect diversity and address local needs more effectively.

This panel discussion will explore how decentralisation has enabled local actors to tailor cultural policies for their communities​, whether creating new models, decentralising aspects of centralised institutions, or empowering local councils and the private sector. How can decentralised models ensure equitable distribution of resources across diverse regions? How can local communities be empowered to take ownership of cultural policy decisions in decentralised systems? What tools and frameworks can increase meaningful participation of all residents in local cultural governance? And how can technology be used to enhance knowledge-sharing and collaboration in decentralised cultural governance?

This long table invites delegates to sit together and engage in open conversations on how to build connectedness in a world marked by conflict and instability. In complex times when communities are increasingly divided, what role can culture play – as both a sector and a dimension of society – to foster resistance, resilience and connectedness, during and after conflict? How can culture transform conflict and maintain solidarity in a fractured world?   

In this challenging landscape, how are the CCS coping? What new tensions and emerging fault lines shape the cultural sector, and how can we create safe spaces for dialogue across divides? How can we create empathy across divisions as we imagine and build our collective future? 

Culture – encompassing traditional knowledge, heritage and creative expression – plays a significant role to foster resilience, guide adaptation and shape sustainable futures. At the same time, many cultural heritage sites (and with those, living cultures) are at risk from the effects of climate change, including rising sea levels, extreme weather events and desertification. Artists and cultural professionals are increasingly adopting environmentally conscious practices to ensure a sustainable and diverse future for the sector.   

The need to recognise culture in climate action is acknowledged as vital to address the challenges posed by climate change. How does the role of culture evolve in the climate crisis agenda and what is the role of the climate agenda in shaping our arts and culture? How can traditional knowledge and cultural practices be integrated into climate change adaptation strategies to enhance resilience and sustainability? What advocacy is needed to ensure culture's role is fully integrated into global climate strategies? 

In this session, Summit delegates will have the chance to bring any unresolved or pressing issues to the table for an open dialogue, guided by a moderator. This session is designed to encourage spontaneous, participant-driven conversations, offering a space to address lingering topics and explore new ideas that have not been fully covered during the Summit.