Against the Tide: Empowering Marginalised Voices through Socio-Culture

ENCC Annual Conference 2025: Participation, Inclusion, and Systemic Change
Kotor, Montenegro | September 17–19, 2025

This September, the European Network of Cultural Centres (ENCC) will gather cultural workers, thinkers, and organisers from across Europe for its annual conference—this year focusing on participation and inclusion in and through culture, with special attention to the voices and needs of younger generations.

Set in the historic coastal town of Kotor, Montenegro—a UNESCO World Heritage site—this three-day gathering takes place at a time when democratic norms are being increasingly challenged across Europe. In this context, cultural organisations are being called upon not only to reflect society but to actively shape it: as amplifiers of marginalised voices, as platforms for civic engagement, and as spaces for belonging.

The programme includes panel discussions, workshops, study visits, and spaces for dialogue, all aimed at exploring how cultural work can foster social cohesion, reimagine democratic participation, and generate meaningful change.

As part of this year's programme, Heather O’Donnell (psychologist and director of The Green Room) and cultural strategist Vittorio Bianco will lead an interactive session on Systemic Change. Drawing from therapeutic, artistic, and organisational perspectives, the session will explore how cultural workers can better understand and intervene in stuck patterns—whether within institutions, networks, or broader social systems. Participants will be invited to reflect, map dynamics, and engage with tools that support deep, sustainable transformation.

For more information and registration details, visit the ENCC website.