On 2 April 2025, the Launching Event of “Culture Can Make It! Connecting the dots towards a more inclusive sector for young people” project, co-financed by Creative Europe, was successfully held. The event took place in the presence of local authorities, the Project Officer from the European Commission, and the presidents of the two project partners: the National Youth Congress (Albania) and Taranto Makers (Italy). In addition, a broad range of stakeholders, mainly cultural associations, artistic organizations, and youth policy institutions, participated actively throughout the day.
The morning session was dedicated to an institutional presentation of the project. After an introduction by the organizers, local authorities took the floor to express their endorsement of the initiative and highlight the relevance of the project’s objectives for the cultural and youth sectors in Albania. The project team then illustrated the core activities planned over the next two years, explaining how the action would strengthen the role of civil society organizations in promoting innovative cultural models and advocating for improved cultural policies.
A participatory survey was launched via Mentimeter to capture an initial snapshot of the territorial situation regarding the cultural and creative sectors. The survey provided valuable insight into the current challenges and opportunities identified by the stakeholders themselves, helping to outline preliminary areas of focus for the project’s future activities. The key results of the survey were summarized in the document Outcome Meeting.
The afternoon session shifted towards an interactive and participatory workshop based on the Evidence Planning methodology. This approach allowed the attending associations and stakeholders to reflect collaboratively on the current state and future aspirations for Albanian culture. Participants were invited to define what elements should be enhanced, replaced, limited, or reused to build a sustainable, vibrant, and youth-driven cultural ecosystem. The discussions touched on several important themes, such as the need to valorize existing projects, address the challenges posed by mass tourism, bridge generations through culture, and involve youth more directly via schools, universities, and civil society organizations. Stakeholders emphasized the importance of practical activities over purely theoretical initiatives and underlined the urgency of creating effective models to valorize talents and foster cultural entrepreneurship among young people.
The outcomes of the workshop, captured in the final section of the Outcome meeting.pdf document, provided a rich and nuanced collective vision, which will serve as a strategic foundation for shaping the upcoming activities of the project. The event concluded with a renewed commitment from all participants to collaborate towards a more inclusive, dynamic, and youth-centered cultural sector in Albania.
Brief discussion on the outcome
The outcomes collected during the participatory Evidence Planning workshop reflect a strong and insightful contribution from the attending stakeholders. Participants mapped both the strengths and critical areas of the Albanian cultural sector, offering a realistic yet aspirational vision for its future development.
One of the most recurrent themes was the desire to valorize existing projects and experiences. Stakeholders expressed the need to capitalize on previous efforts rather than constantly starting from scratch, suggesting that knowledge management and continuity of actions should be core principles moving forward. Closely tied to this was the call to build a common brand identity for Albanian culture, improving its visibility nationally and internationally through strategic communication and unified messaging.
Participants also highlighted the importance of involving young people at every stage, not merely as beneficiaries but as active creators and promoters of cultural initiatives. Concrete proposals included creating art clubs as territorial hubs for young artists and setting up youth cultural festivals to nurture emerging talents. This clearly aligns with the project’s objective of empowering the next generation through practical and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Another major concern that emerged was the absence of freedom of expression within families and a cultural mindset that undervalues culture as a professional career path. This sociocultural barrier was seen as a serious obstacle to youth participation in the cultural economy, pointing to the necessity of combining artistic initiatives with broader educational and awareness-raising actions.
From an economic and policy perspective, stakeholders stressed that small and fragmented projects often limit the impact of cultural initiatives. They advocated for greater continuity and systemic support, including revisiting the regulatory environment to facilitate artistic installations and the integration of culture with tourism through innovative packages combining accommodation and cultural experiences.
Interestingly, participants did not limit themselves to diagnosing problems. Many focused on innovation, proposing to reuse traditional elements (e.g., monuments, culinary traditions, language, and polyphonic music) in modern formats that would appeal to contemporary audiences, both local and international. They emphasized that tradition and innovation should not be seen in opposition, but rather as mutually reinforcing pillars for a sustainable cultural strategy.
The overall tone of the outcomes is both pragmatic and optimistic. There is a clear awareness of the structural challenges faced by the sector, but also a strong willingness to engage, innovate, and build alliances among civil society organizations, institutions, and young people.
In conclusion, the outcomes of the meeting reveal a fertile ground to build upon the initiatives financed by “Culture Can Make It!” project. They provide a solid foundation for designing actions that are truly grounded in the needs and aspirations of the cultural community.
