“We see that we have to be ready for the unexpected.” This is the message that Bartłomiej Świerczewski, Director of the Department of Social Affairs in ICLEI Member Wrocław (Poland), wants to share. He refers with this not only to the pandemic and the outbreak of war in neighbouring Ukraine, but also to the rapid changes that occur in our communities in everyday life. Broadly speaking, Świerczewski sees the need for a new approach to planning for sustainable development – one in which we can react flexibly and contextually.

In this regard, the City of Wrocław is an example of how culture can become the cornerstone of a resilient, creative city. The city uses cultural infrastructure as a foundation for various shared goals, like providing resources to refugees, improving public spaces, addressing resilience, and boosting initiatives related to circularity and sustainability.

For one, as part of its role as a MCR2030 Resilience Hub, an initiative co-chaired by ICLEI and UNDRR, the city has focused on building adaptation and resilience into its spaces. For example, in response to the war in Ukraine, Wrocław successfully employed its human and social resources in the temporary conversion of some of its cultural buildings and spaces into refugee shelters.

Meanwhile, Wrocław’s cultural sector has proven to be resilient even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant pandemic-related drop in popularity of cultural offerings pushed cultural institutions to re-think the presence of art and culture throughout the city, and how to better exploit the potential of parks and green areas. This shift has provided benefits for people both inside and outside the city, and has included the re-use of green and outdoor spaces for cultural purposes. In this way, cultural institutions embody resilience by rethinking their “regular” spaces and reaching out into surrounding areas.

The city administration works on helping cultural institutions to circulate and find ways to collaborate using existing infrastructure and resources, a process that fosters cooperation and shared use of spaces. Neighbouring institutions are better able to share their assets while inviting the residents inside to take part in cultural activities.

Wrocław also strongly promotes the creation or reimagining of culture-oriented, inclusive spaces, including at the neighbourhood scale, as exemplified by the “Centre for Culture and Local Activities.” Efforts like these aim to save resources by using spaces in a more efficient way, while also building social cohesion and contributing to placemaking. Culture, indeed, helps communities like Wrocław to imagine how we can support each other, co-design, and take responsibility for urban habitats.

For more information on how culture and cultural heritage can be leveraged as key assets for sustainable development and transition in cities, consult a recent ICLEI Europe policy brief here.