Bucharest City Hall and municipal cultural center ARCUB have launched an online platform for the development of the capital’s 2027-2036 Cultural Strategy. The website provides access to research documents and allows cultural operators to submit comments and proposals.
The strategy is currently in its diagnostic phase, which includes sociological research, specialist reports, and consultations with cultural professionals and local communities.
“The new strategy gives us a clear direction for developing culture over the next 10 years, starting from the needs of institutions and audiences,” Bucharest mayor Ciprian Ciucu said.
He argued that the capital’s creative industries have significant untapped potential and that the city needs a smaller number of major events with greater regional and international visibility, alongside programs aimed at specific cultural communities.
“Our city is not associated with a major cultural event, although we have potential and advantages,” mayor Ciucu said. “The problem is that action has not been clear or coordinated, which is why we have not managed to establish ourselves on the regional or international map.”
The research conducted so far has involved more than 500 cultural professionals through interviews, consultations, and focus groups. A quantitative public survey included 800 respondents, while another 80 people participated in 10 focus groups examining cultural consumption.
Separate surveys of high school and university students are also underway. Specialists in cultural marketing, heritage, governance, and cultural policy will contribute to the strategy, with international experts expected to join at a later stage.
The platform was developed by Insula 42 for ARCUB and implemented by City Hall’s IT department. It will be updated as the strategy progresses and eventually opened for direct participation by Bucharest residents.