Call for Papers for the IN SITU Final Conference in Valmiera
The call for participation is open for the final IN SITU project conference "Culture Matters Here. Cultivating Creative Place-based Innovation in Non-urban Communities", which will take place on May 11–13, 2026, in Valmiera, Latvia. The conference will provide an important platform for international knowledge and experience exchange, while deepening understanding of the challenges and opportunities of creative work in regional areas and fostering the creation of supportive environments for cultural and creative professionals outside major cities.
Researchers, artists, cultural practitioners, activists, policymakers, and decision-makers from around the world and across various disciplines are invited to submit proposals addressing the latest research and practices in local innovation and creativity within the cultural and creative sectors beyond metropolitan centers. The working language of the conference is English.
Deadline for abstract submission: December 8, 2025, 23:59 CET. Abstracts must be submitted in English via the IN SITU project website: https://insituculture.eu/abstract-submission-form-2/. Please note that each author may submit only one abstract as the main author.
During the conference, partners of the project “IN SITU: Place-based Innovation of Cultural and Creative Industries in Non-urban Areas”, representing research centers of 13 universities and civil society organizations across Europe, will share key findings and outline future directions for exploring the role of the cultural and creative sector in the development of non-urban territories.
The conference will also feature the premiere of the IN SITU documentary film, offering insights into the participatory research conducted within six European territories located in the periphery of the European Union, including Valmiera Municipality.
The conference is organized by the Latvian Academy of Culture and the Centre for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra, in cooperation with the European Network of Cultural Centres (ENCC), Culture Action Europe, and IN SITU project partners, in close collaboration with local partners - Valmiera Municipality and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences.
More information about the conference and the IN SITU project is available at: https://insituculture.eu/culture-matters-here-cultivating-creative-place-based-innovation-in-non-urban-communities/.
The project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 101061747).