Building to Last: Non-governmental Cultural Centres, Environmental Sustainability and Communities

2026-07-22

Led by the network Trans Europe Halles (TEH), Rebuilding to Last´s main aim is to build the capacity of cultural spaces to address the sustainable futures of their buildings and organisations, inspiring and leading sustainable transition among cultural teams, audiences, communities and cities. Rebuilding to Last will initiate a 2-year programme delivered by 5 cultural centres, 3 architecture and engineering companies, 1 university, 1 innovation and research centre, 4 cultural networks, and 2 intergovernmental organisations, all combining expertise that will have lasting effects on the European and global cultural landscape. The project has 3 main objectives: Objective 1) Research: identifying current practices with regard to sustainability, Objective 2) Training: training and tools informed by the outcomes of the research and Objective 3) short and long-term awareness building, using the outcomes of the project. These objectives will be achieved by a full programme of secondary and primary research, customised training, peer-to-peer exchanges, dissemination of the programme results to the wider cultural sector and a set of legacy tools, such as an online training course, a sustainability roadmap and digital publications/resources. Rebuilding to Last is aimed at building-based cultural organisations, such as public cultural centres, creative hubs, theatres, museums, etc., with the ambition to reach 3,000 organisations and 10,000 people. Although the project is European generated and focused, there will be an active engagement with regions outside of the EU, for instance through the Asia Europe Foundation and Organization of Ibero-American States. The vision is to make such cultural spaces environmentally sustainable, energy efficient, carbon neutral facilities that not only have a positive impact on the users and local communities but become inspirational leaders in a new movement for green culture, in Europe and across the World.

Sweden, France, Spain, Finland, Latvia, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Slovakia

2025-12-15