This was Culture & Care 2026
The conference Culture & Care 2026 brought together hundreds of people around a shared ambition: building a more caring society.
A joint call for change
On 26 and 27 February 2026, the two-day European conference Culture & Care: A Joint Call for Change took place in Leuven, marking the launch of Body & Soul. Over two days, we brought together artists, care professionals, policymakers, researchers, social workers, cultural venues, experts by experience, and changemakers from Belgium and abroad around one central question:
How can we collectively build a world where people can thrive in body and mind? And what if care and culture together make the difference for individuals and society?
Did you miss it, or are you feeling nostalgic? You can find the full programme here:
Beyond the numbers
The numbers reflect the scale of the conference:
- 2 conference day
- 450 attendees
- 90+ contributors to the programme
- 60+ submitted projects and workshops
- 139 planned meetings via the Conversation Starter tool
But the key value lay in the conversations, encounters, and insights that emerged. From the many contributions, reflections, and evaluations, five clear messages stood out.
"One cannot do everything – but each of us can do something."
A keynote that resonated
One of the highlights of the conference was the keynote by Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish. With personal stories, powerful imagery, and a compelling call for humanity, dignity, and responsibility, he deeply moved the audience.
His message was clear: a culture of care does not start with systems or institutions, but with how we treat each other as human beings. His call to see care as an active responsibility toward one another continued to resonate long after the conference in the discussions that followed.
A day filled with activities
From energy to action
During the Culture & Care: A Joint Call for Change conference, something special happened in Leuven: a shared energy among people passionate about care and culture.
As if we collectively felt: this is only the beginning. Do you recognise that feeling? We certainly do.
The Body & Soul team in Leuven is channeling that energy—full of enthusiasm and conviction—into action. Keep an eye on our socials to be the first to follow the next steps or to join us in building future actions and projects with Body & Soul.
Collaboration
This conference was a collaboration between Culture Action Europe, CultureForHealth, Flanders, KU Leuven, and many other organisations and networks working at the intersection of culture and care.
Conference Culture & Care
Culture & Care: A Joint Call for Change explored how culture and care can strengthen and inspire one another in addressing today’s complex societal challenges.
Culture & Care as Cure
We came together with healthcare professionals, cultural workers, artists, policymakers, and researchers. The energy and the people were there. These five principles encapsulate what you brought to the table.
