Last week we had the opportunity to participate in the Culture & Care conference in Leuven, organised by Culture Action Europe. The gathering brought together artists, cultural practitioners, researchers and organisations from across Europe to explore how culture and care intersect in practice, policy and everyday cultural work.

For us, it was a valuable moment to reconnect with colleagues from our sister organisation PRAHO! project in the Czech Republic, as well as to meet many other organisations working across the European cultural landscape.

What we appreciated most was the atmosphere of the conference itself. The programme created space for curiosity, reflection and open conversation rather than fixed definitions or ready-made answers. Many discussions returned to a simple yet powerful idea: that culture can become a form of care when it creates space for attention, listening and presence.

This resonates closely with the way we work through STOCKHOLM! project and PRAHO! project, where care often appears in very simple forms. In questions placed in the city, in collected voices, and in moments when people stop, read, reflect or respond. Working in public space has shown us that culture can quietly become a form of care simply by opening space for awareness and dialogue.

The conference also reminded us how important international exchange is for our work. Many of our initiatives develop within European cooperation frameworks and EU-funded programmes, where collaboration, knowledge-sharing and cross-border partnerships are essential. Being able to meet colleagues from across Europe, exchange experiences and discover new perspectives is therefore a crucial part of how our projects evolve.

We are grateful to Culture Action Europe and the organisers of Culture & Care Leuven for creating such a thoughtful and welcoming space. We left with new connections, new questions and renewed energy for the projects ahead.