Important Facts of the News
- UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has named 58 new Creative Cities, bringing the total to 408 across more than 100 countries.
- A new field, Architecture, joins the existing seven: Crafts and Folk Art, Media Arts, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, and Music.
- Examples include Quito in Ecuador for Architecture, Kisumu in Kenya and New Orleans in the United States for Music, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia for Design, Matosinhos in Portugal for Gastronomy, Giza in Egypt for Film, Cuenca in Ecuador for Gastronomy, Rovaniemi in Finland for Architecture, Malang in Indonesia for Media Arts, and Aberystwyth in the United Kingdom for Literature.
- The network, started in 2004, helps cities use culture and creativity to spur development at the grassroots level.
- These cities create employment, energize local economies, and build community bonds through cultural investments.
- Strategies align with global targets like the 2030 Agenda, addressing local challenges while promoting wider aims.
- Members collaborate by exchanging ideas and solutions to amplify the effects of their cultural efforts on economy, society, and environment.
- The 2026 annual conference will take place in Essaouira, Morocco, a Music Creative City since 2019.
- Full list of new cities: Aberystwyth (Literature), Abuja (Literature), Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah (Gastronomy), Andenne (Crafts and Folk Art), Bistrita (Architecture), Bobo-Dioulasso (Crafts and Folk Art), Celje (Literature), Cheongju City (Crafts and Folk Art), Conakry (Literature), Cuenca (Gastronomy), Daugavpils (Design), Dumaguete City (Literature), Echizen City (Crafts and Folk Art), Evian (Music), Faenza (Crafts and Folk Art), Gdańsk (Literature), Giza (Film), Hebron (Crafts and Folk Art), Ho Chi Minh City (Film), Höhr-Grenzhausen (Crafts and Folk Art), Kahramanmaraş (Literature), Kashan (Architecture), Kelowna (Gastronomy), Kisumu (Music), Korhogo (Music), Kuala Lumpur (Design), Kyiv (Music), La Spezia (Design), Lalitpur (Music), Liège (Music), Lubango (Crafts and Folk Art), Lucknow (Gastronomy), Lund (Literature), Lusail (Architecture), Malang (Media Arts), Manizales (Gastronomy), Masaya (Crafts and Folk Art), Matosinhos (Gastronomy), Nan (Crafts and Folk Art), New Orleans (Music), Nikšić (Music), Ponorogo (Crafts and Folk Art), Quanzhou (Gastronomy), Quezon City (Film), Quito (Architecture), Riyadh (Design), Rovaniemi (Architecture), Safi (Crafts and Folk Art), San Javier de Loncomilla (Gastronomy), San Luis Potosí (Literature), São Paulo (Film), Sarchí (Crafts and Folk Art), Sifnos (Crafts and Folk Art), Songkhla (Gastronomy), Tangier (Literature), Varna (Media Arts), Wuxi (Music), Zaragoza (Gastronomy).
Global Expansion Highlights Cultural Innovation
In a significant step forward for urban cultural landscapes, 58 cities from various corners of the world have been selected to become part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. This addition underscores how local creativity can fuel broader progress, drawing attention to unique strengths in fields that blend tradition with modern needs.
The inclusion brings fresh energy to the initiative, which now spans 408 urban centers in over 100 nations. Each newcomer showcases a specific talent, from architectural ingenuity to musical heritage, helping to knit communities closer while sparking economic activity tied to their surroundings.
New Focus on Architecture and Beyond
For the first time, Architecture emerges as a dedicated category, complementing long-standing areas such as music scenes in places like Kisumu and New Orleans, design prowess in Riyadh, and culinary traditions in Matosinhos and Cuenca. Other highlights feature Giza’s cinematic storytelling, Rovaniemi’s building expertise, Malang’s digital media flair, and Aberystwyth’s literary depth.
These selections reflect a deep dedication to nurturing cultural assets. Cities invest in training local talents, backing artists, and engaging everyday people, which in turn generates work opportunities and revives economic vitality.
Building Bridges Through Shared Creativity
Since its inception two decades ago, the network has served as a platform for towns and cities to harness their artistic and inventive sides for sustainable growth. At the heart of it lies the belief that cultural pursuits, whether in film, literature, or crafts, can tackle community-specific issues and support international priorities like those in the 2030 framework.
Collaboration stands out as a key pillar. Participants swap stories, strategies, and fixes, enhancing how their policies touch on social ties, financial health, and ecological balance. This exchange not only inspires but also multiplies the positive ripple effects of focused cultural work.
Looking ahead, the group plans to gather in Essaouira next year for its yearly meet, offering a space to deepen these connections and plan future paths.
Through such efforts, these cities prove that rooting creativity in local soil can yield lasting benefits, from stronger neighborhoods to thriving markets, all while honoring diverse global heritages.