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June 12, 2026
The key role of culture as a driver of sustainable local development, social cohesion and territorial innovation in remote regions was highlighted on 28 and 29 May 2026 in Madeira, during the first training activity of the European C-Cycle project – Cooperation on Cultural Yield through Coaching and Learning Evolution (2024-1-EL01-KA220-VET-000257519), co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme.
Institutional and educational organisations from Greece, the Netherlands and Portugal met with representatives of local authorities and community-based cultural organisations, sharing the common objective of developing a framework for knowledge transfer and participatory reflection on the need to promote more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cultural policies, particularly in remote regions of the European Union.
The training, entitled Strengthening Cultural Resilience and Local Capacity in Remote Communities, was organised in coordination with APCA – Agência de Promoção da Cultura Atlântica, a project partner, and with the collaboration of the University of Madeira and the Conservatory – School of the Arts of Madeira, Eng.º Luiz Peter Clode. The initiative was carried out under the strategic coordination of the Hellenic Agency for Local Development and Local Government (EETAA), with valuable educational input from The Hague Academy for Local Governance.
The training provided a dynamic space for dialogue, interaction and co-creation, enabling participants to deepen their knowledge of local cultural policies, explore European good practices and develop new approaches to address the challenges identified through the field research carried out as part of the project. The potential of culture as a tool for the island of Madeira’s social and economic development was also examined.
With the decisive contribution of the Greek Ministry of Culture, namely through the Creative Europe Desk Greece, as well as the Association of Netherlands Municipalities, knowledge-exchange activities and collaborative workshops were organised, strengthening transnational cooperation and opening up new perspectives for networking and future joint initiatives.
Of particular relevance was the study visit to the Xarabanda Musical and Cultural Association, where participants had the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of a representative example of a cultural initiative with a significant and measurable impact on the local community.
The completion of this first training activity marked an important milestone in capacity building, the consolidation of European cooperation and the promotion of cultural innovation, confirming that culture can serve as a strategic pillar for sustainable local development and social resilience.
The C-Cycle project brings together local authorities, cultural and creative organisations, and higher education institutions from several European countries, with the aim of strengthening the capacities of both local authorities and cultural practitioners. With a particular focus on island and peripheral regions, the project methodology combines theoretical training, the analysis of European case studies and practical work, providing immediately applicable knowledge and relevant learning outcomes.
The project’s next training activity will take place in Athens, at EETAA’s headquarters, on 11 and 12 June 2026, continuing the dialogue and European cooperation around the relationship between culture and sustainable local development. This two-day training programme, delivered in a hybrid format (in person and online), will bring together 25 senior officials and technical staff from 16 Greek municipalities, as well as representatives of their respective local cultural institutions.
For more information about the C-Cycle project, please visit the project’s official website.
