UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Promoted by UNESCO in 2004, the Creative Cities Network (UCCN) aims at creating a connection between cities where culture creativity is an essential of their identity. In order to promote business and culture, the network offers to local operators an international platform on which to convey the creative energy of the Cities, thus paving the way to sharing local experiences in a global context. It also encourages cities to promote joint projects, in line with UNESCO priorities of culture and sustainable development.

Through the seven thematic clusters – Music, Design, Film, Crafts & Folk Art, Gastronomy, Literature, Music and Media Arts, cities can set up special relations and share projects, showcasing one’s own abilities and increasing the presence of their creative culture products on the domestic and international markets.
Each cluster is electing a coordinator and a vice-coordinator every year: in 2015 and 2016 Bologna run the Music cluster, which is now jointly coordinated by Mannheim (Germany) and Katowice (Poland).

Every two years UNESCO calls for selecting new members of the network, keeping a special eye on granting a certain geographic balance, beside the quality of the nomination itself, so as to include developing countries as well.
Each creative cluster weighs the nominations in their own category; meanwhile, a group of experts selected by UNESCO evaluates the nomination of all the creative fields. In the end, the UNESCO secretariat issues the final evaluation.

Over the years, the network has remarkably increased, and in 2019 more 66 UNESCO Creative Cities were appointed. Now the organization includes 246 member cities, from 72 world countries:
UCCN world map

Bologna was appointed UNESCO Creative City of Music in 2006: a prestigious award that celebrates the rich musical tradition and the very lively contemporary scene of the city. Music is part of Bologna identity: it's tradition and creativity.
Since September 2013, Bologna UNESCO City of Music is the official website and blog since 2013, run by the Economic Development and City Promotion Department of the City of Bologna, which includes all the information about activities and events connected to the past, present and future musical history of Bologna.

ITALIAN COORDINATION:

In October 2016 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed for an Italian Cordination of the Creative Cities, which was chaired by Bologna until October 2020 and is now headed by Fabriano for the next four years: Bologna and Pesaro for Music, Fabriano, Carrara and Biella for Crafts and Folk Art, Parma, Alba and Bergamo for Gastronomy, Rome for Film, Turin for Design, Milan for Literature.
The Coordination is currently increasing its role in Italy, also by strengthening its relationship with the UNESCO National Commission, with the UNESCO office at the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, and with the Italian Ambassador at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Y.E. Massimo Riccardo.

Ultimo aggiornamento: lunedì 28 dicembre 2020