Creating Futures: Rethinking Cultural Institutions, Infrastructure, and Investment

About the Open Call

Amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, shrinking civic space, and growing reflection on how culture is governed and funded, existing models of cultural institutions, shaped by long-standing approaches to public subsidy, curatorship, and governance, are being tested by changing conditions and emerging needs. Creating Futures: Rethinking Cultural Institutions, Infrastructure, and Investment convenes 45 institutional leaders, cultural funders, policymakers, private sector stakeholders, and creative economy actors for a global exchange on the future of cultural infrastructure. Taking place at Salzburg Global in 2026, this high-level program will explore emerging institutional models, strategic investment approaches, and the evolving role of culture in shaping cohesive, resilient, and forward-looking societies. Cultural funders and public institutions around the world are confronting the limits of conventional investment models and governance frameworks with growing recognition that existing systems—across public, private, and philanthropic sectors—are not always aligned with current realities or future needs. This moment demands deeper collaboration, mutual learning, and renewed imagination across regions and sectors to shape more inclusive, sustainable, and responsive cultural infrastructure. This program will offer a vital platform for strategic dialogue, reflective practice, and cross-regional exchange, designed to surface practical insights, strengthen relationships, and support the cultural ecosystems of the future. Strategic Themes: Expanding the Definition of Cultural Infrastructure: Exploring how cultural ecosystems are supported through informal networks, civic-led initiatives, and hybrid models alongside formal institutions, and how this broader understanding can inform more inclusive and effective infrastructure strategies. Designing Sustainable and Context-Driven Investment Models: Examining how funders, governments, and private actors can adopt ethical, locally anchored, and context-responsive funding strategies that reduce reliance on external donors and support long-term cultural sovereignty, equity, and resilience. Rethinking Institutional Governance and Accountability: Investigating alternative models of leadership, ownership, and decision-making within cultural institutions, and identifying governance approaches that are more transparent, participatory, and responsive to evolving societal needs. Aligning Cultural Infrastructure with Global Development Goals: Exploring how cultural systems contribute to broader development agendas—such as education, equity, sustainability, and peacebuilding—and how they can be more strategically integrated into global policy frameworks.

What is Offered

This program offers a rare opportunity for stakeholders across sectors: Insight Generation: A collective knowledge product such as a Salzburg Statement, a policy brief or investment guide outlining emerging principles and promising practices in cultural infrastructure. Strategic Alignment: Deeper understanding among donors and policymakers of what is needed to support sustainable, sovereign and equitable cultural ecosystems. Funder Learning and Peer Exchange: Structured opportunities for philanthropic and public funders to reflect on their own strategies and build collaborative approaches. Network Activation: Strengthened global networks of cultural institutions, intermediaries, and funders committed to rethinking cultural investment and systems design. Participation: EXPERIENCE... A candid and open exchange with peers under the Chatham House Rule. A retreat-like setting, with time and space to disconnect and reflect from a wider ecosystem and gain perspective. GAIN... Connection to an active international community of outstanding leaders working on this topic. Inspiration and learning from across the world and foresight into directions for future work. Relationships for coalition building across organizational, professional and geographical boundaries. Access to a vast network of Salzburg Global Fellows working across sectors to shape a better world. GIVE AND RECEIVE... Promising practices and drawing on the group’s collective intelligence and experience to tackle challenges you face and leverage important opportunities. Information about projects, approaches, resources and case studies relevant to this topic. Opportunities for peer mentoring on ways to incubate, replicate, adapt and scale good practices.

Requirements

Participants should be available for the following dates: Co-Creation Meeting 1 (Online) March 19th 2026, 15:00 to 16:30 CET; Co-Creation Meeting 2 (Online) March 26th 2026, 15:00 to 16:30 CET; In-Person Program (Salzburg, Austria) April 13th (from 15:00) to 18th (departure), 2026; Online meetings in 2026. This program will convene 40-45 participants from diverse creative fields and will prioritize participants from across the Majority World, including Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of the Middle East. Participant profile includes: Leaders of cultural institutions and networks; Representatives of public cultural ministries and regional bodies; Philanthropic foundations and development agencies; Cultural intermediaries working at the systems level; Creative economy strategists and policymakers. Salzburg Global is dedicated to creating inclusive, international, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational programs. We prioritize participation of individuals from communities historically less visible in the arts and culture sector, we will actively seek to represent people of color, disabled individuals, those who identify as LGBTQ+, and participants from low-income, Indigenous, ethnically diverse, or migrant backgrounds.

How to Apply

Applications are now open. Click here to apply: https://salzburgglobalseminar.recruitee.com/o/creating-futures-rethinking-cultural-institutions-infrastructure-and-investment. Deadline: 31st October 2025 (17:00 CET)