Second Cultural Pearls Network Conference 2025

From September 16–19, 2025, the city of Płock, Poland, will welcome the second Cultural Pearls Network conference. The event will bring together representatives from small and medium-sized cities awarded the BSR Cultural Pearls title in 2024 and 2025, as well as project partners from the BSR Cultural Pearls and RESCOM (Resilient Communities Learning Platform) initiatives, including participants from Ukraine and Moldova.

This international event will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange on social resilience related topics and case studies that are helping communities across the region become stronger and more cohesive through culture.

Participants can look forward to a rich and interactive program, including:

Learning Lab sessions that foster hands-on learning and skill development.

Thematic stage sessions, where Cultural Pearls and RESCOM partners will be invited to present cases, share project ideas, or participate in panel discussions based on themes selected via the registration process.

Networking group work, encouraging spontaneous collaboration and the development of new project ideas or partnerships. Unlike previous conferences, such as the one in Helsingborg, this year’s group work will be open-ended, designed to maximize interaction rather than deliver predefined outcomes.

The conference also includes study visits, city excursions, and social activities, offering attendees a chance to explore Płock’s vibrant cultural landscape, engage in informal dialogue, and learn firsthand about the city’s community-building efforts through culture as a BSR Cultural Pearl 2025 awardee.

With a diverse mix of stakeholders, city representatives, cultural practitioners, and civil society partners, the conference promises to be an important moment for strengthening ties and advancing cultural resilience in the Baltic Sea Region and beyond.