Fondazione Santagata among the winners of the Horizon Europe Grant for the Democracy in Action Project
12 February 2025 – Fondazione Santagata is among the winners of the Horizon Europe call “Culture,… Read More
Democracy in Action Sees Strong Engagement and Looks Ahead to Izmir Workshop
14 May 2026 – The Democracy in Action project continues to expand its international network. As part of the project’s ongoing research activities, the international survey “Mapping Grassroots Arts and Culture Organisations working with/for Youth” gathered 392 responses from organisations based in more than 40 countries across Europe and beyond.
The survey highlights the growing importance of grassroots arts and culture organisations in strengthening democratic participation, civic engagement, youth empowerment, and community well-being. It also provides important insights into how cultural initiatives are addressing social and environmental challenges through locally rooted and participatory practices.
The research confirms that grassroots culture can play a key role in supporting democratic innovation, social inclusion, and climate awareness, especially among younger generations.
The workshop
As part of the next phase of the project, three organisations have been selected to participate in the international workshop “Grassroots Culture for Youth Climate Action”, taking place in Izmir, Türkiye, from 23 to 25 September 2026 in collaboration with Kentimiz Izmir.
The selected organisations are:
The organisations were selected for their strong engagement with youth communities and for their innovative approaches to climate action, environmental awareness, and participatory cultural practices.
Grassroots Culture and Climate Action
The Izmir workshop will focus on the role of grassroots culture in addressing the climate crisis, recognising climate change not only as an environmental issue, but also as a
cultural challenge that requires new collective imaginaries, behaviours, and forms of participation.
Through workshops, discussions, and roundtables, participants will explore how cultural initiatives can contribute to climate resilience and youth empowerment at the local level.
The outcomes of the workshop are expected to feed into broader international discussions ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, in November 2026, strengthening the connection between grassroots cultural action and global climate dialogue.
Building Democratic Futures Through Culture
The Democracy in Action research team of Fondazione Santagata would like to sincerely thank all organisations that contributed to the survey and shared their experiences, perspectives, and practices.
The remarkable engagement demonstrated through this initiative reinforces the importance of transnational collaboration in shaping more inclusive, participatory, and sustainable democratic futures.
For more information about the research activities, please contact the project team at info@fondazionesantagata.it.
The Democracy in Action project has received funding from the European Union under the HORIZON-CL2-2024-DEMOCRACY-02 programme under Grant Agreement No. 101178843.
