In Oulu, in Europe's far North, 2026 is not just a year of celebrations. It is proof that investing in culture can transform a city and push back the cold by warming up human relationships.

Culture Next is pleased to welcome five cities as new full members of the network: Victoria (Malta), Oviedo (Spain), Burgas (Bulgaria), Zalău (Romania) and Nijmegen (Netherlands).

Ecocnews is delighted to feature an interesting article by András Farkas on the profound relationship between culture and wellbeing. This is a highly topical, cross-cutting issue that is increasingly taking centre stage in the public debate on culture and the power of art to promote people’s wellbeing.

At the Culture Next conference held in Larnaca, Alma Salem’s presentation attracted considerable interest, owing to the depth of her thinking, the breadth of her narrative, and the relevance of her observations on the Mediterranean and the role of culture in resolving the conflicts currently ravaging the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

As the spotlight often falls on art, the deeper contours of culture are shaped by light and shadow alike: controversy, geopolitical fractures, contested and denied rights. In Larnaka, Cyprus, however, culture was framed not as display but as duty.