Culture & Care: A Joint Call for Change
European Conference | Leuven, Belgium
February 26–27, 2026
An initiative of the City of Leuven and KU Leuven, in collaboration with the Flemish Government and Culture Action Europe's work on culture and health. Powered by LEF.
Part of LOV2030 – Leuven & Beyond, European Capital of Culture 2030.
How can culture and care work together to build new ways of care that meet today’s complex social challenges?
About the conference
The conference Culture & Care: A Joint Call for Change explores how culture and care can strengthen and inspire one another in addressing today’s complex societal challenges. While medical treatment provides essential support, care extends further - embracing the whole person and their lived environment.
We highlight an ongoing paradigm shift: from understanding care mainly as a medical intervention, to recognizing it as a shared cultural and human practice. Care is not only about responding to illness, but also about fostering prevention, resilience, and quality of life - helping individuals and communities to thrive. Art and culture can play a vital role in this transformation.
By bringing art and care into dialogue, we explore how their encounter can enrich care practices while honouring the integrity of artistic creation. At the same time, we engage with the critical questions and challenges that may arise within both the artistic and care sectors.
A gathering for changemakers
This two-day conference brings together cultural and care professionals, researchers, policymakers, and community actors from across Europe. Together, we will explore sustainable transformations in how we think about care.
Morning plenaries with leading European experts connect insights from policy, practice, and lived experience - exploring how culture can transform the way we think about and organize care, and how we can overcome the challenges of cross-sector collaboration.
Afternoon sessions offer parallel tracks of inspiring impact stories from the field and interactive workshops that let you experience culture & care: a joined call for change in practice
The conference programme will feature inspiring artistic interventions and performances — including contributions from Coconuts, a creative Leuven collective that connects art, care, and mental health in surprising and moving ways.
Programme:
Morning plenaries
Focus of Day 1
Thursday, 26 Feb
Plenary sessions: bridging policy, practice, and communities as a prerequisite for lasting change
Lasting change begins when policy, professional practice, and community realities are connected. On the first day, we bring together policymakers, practitioners, and people with lived experience to explore how culture can transform systems of care - and how care itself can become a cultural practice.
The conference offers a meeting ground for policymakers, practitioners, and community voices, fostering a two-way exchange that both strengthens and accelerates sustainable transformation. By including the voices of people with lived experience, we aim to build a shared understanding of care as a cultural practice - one that truly connects policy, practice, and community.
Focus of Day 2
Friday, 27 Feb
Plenary sessions: bringing art and care together as spaces of healing and shared humanity
From the perspective of Common Humanity, we explore both the potential and the tensions of cross-sector collaboration - addressing concerns such as the fear of art’s instrumentalization, while fostering dialogue, connection, and shared responsibility. Voices from across Europe, from both the arts and care sectors, will be heard - reflecting diverse perspectives and experiences.
Arts on Prescription fits naturally within this framework. It exemplifies how artistic participation can contribute to well-being and social inclusion, offering a tangible model of how culture and care can work together in practice.
Programme: Afternoon sessions - impact talks and workshops
Our afternoon program shows in concrete terms how art and culture can play a vital role in shaping a new, shared understanding of care as both a cultural and human practice.
It does so through three socially relevant themes:
- Young People and Mental Health & Well-being
Across the world, young people face growing pressure, anxiety, and digital overload - leading to rising levels of stress and depression. Art and culture offer vital spaces for expression and connection, fostering resilience and supporting mental well-being. - Older Adults & Intergenerational Initiatives
As populations age, art and culture can play a crucial role in reconnecting generations and creating inclusive environments where older adults remain active, engaged, and valued. - Community-Rooted Programmes
By embedding culture and creativity in local communities, these initiatives restore the human dimension of care - creating spaces where people can express themselves, feel seen, and build caring networks.
Introducing our first international speakers:
Tineke Abma - Professor at Leiden University and ESHPM Rotterdam. She explores participatory approaches and the role of art in reimagining care and ageing.
Jolien Posthumus - Founder of Mindfulness in Museums and pioneer in art and mental health. She connects culture, awareness, and emotional well-being through reflective artistic experiences.
Andrew Greenwood - Former ballet dancer and co-founder of Switch2Move. He uses movement and dance to promote health, connection, and social inclusion across communities.
Ehsan Natour - Cardiothoracic surgeon, writer, and speaker. He advocates for a more human-centered, compassionate approach to medicine and care.
Tawona Ganyamatopé Sitholé - Lecturer in Creative Practice Education and poet with UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration at Glasgow University. His storytelling fosters empathy, belonging, and intercultural understanding through the arts.
Inga Surgunte - Research Assistant at the Latvian Academy of Culture. She studies how the cultural sector contributes to sustainable development, health, and well-being through international collaboration.
Lode Godderis - CEO of IDEWE and Professor at KU Leuven. His research focuses on work, health, and well-being, advocating for healthy workplaces that support both physical and mental resilience.
Stay tuned – more keynote speakers and full program details will be announced soon!
OPEN CALL
For inspirational impact stories and interactive workshops
We are launching an open call for contributions to the afternoon program. Through this open call, we invite organizations, initiatives, and professionals from Leuven, Flanders, and across Europe to co-create the afternoon program with us.
Are you a changemaker working at the crossroads of culture and care, creating impactful initiatives? Eager to share your experience with us at the conference on February 26 & 27, 2026? This is your chance!
We invite you to take the floor during the afternoon programme - a vibrant mix of inspirational impact stories and interactive workshops.
Registration
Register here to secure your spot - places are limited. Stay informed about the full programme and submission details.
Practicals
Main venue: STUK | House of Dance, Image and Sound
Programme
- Wednesday, 25 February
You are warmly invited to join us on Wednesday, 25 February 2026, for a welcome reception at 17:30 and an evening programme.
- Thursday, 26 February 2026
- 09:00 – Reception
- 09:30 – Morning sessions: Opening remarks and plenary programme with keynotes, panel discussion, and an interactive performance
- 12:30 – Lunch and afternoon sessions: a menu of impact talks, workshops, interactive sessions, and plenary closing remarks
- 17:00 – Evening programme with reception and dinner
- Friday, 27 February 2026
- 09:00 – Reception
- 09:30 – Morning sessions: Plenary programme with keynotes, panel discussion, and Art on Prescription session
- 12:30 – Lunch followed by afternoon sessions and plenary closing remarks
- 16:00 – End of the conference
Fee
- One day: € 75,00
- Both days: € 125,00
Unable to cover the conference fees? Get in touch - we’ll work with you to find a solution.
Accreditation provided through UZ Leuven
Welcome to Leuven
Make the most of your visit by planning your stay in advance. Through the link below, you can book your accommodation and explore all that Leuven has to offer.
✈️🚆🚌 Getting to Leuven is Easy!
Whether you're coming by train, plane, bus, or car, Leuven is easily accessible from anywhere in Belgium and beyond. Check here how to reach Leuven.
A project with LOV
With “Culture & Care: A Joint Call for Change”, we align ourselves with LOV2030 and contribute to the cultural energy that carries Leuven & Beyond toward European Capital of Culture 2030.
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