Cities have come to realise that to achieve the best results, local governments have to work together with the civil society at large. Local authorities are creating possibilities and opportunities for citizens to get involved in heritage-led urban development projects and bring their expertise and experience of the city to these projects.
The University of Bologna, situated in the historic centre of the city, is one of the oldest in Europe. This provides many opportunities but is also challenging as different communities – students, residents, tourists, business owners – are crossing paths without always understanding each other. With the ROCK living lab, the municipality of Bologna is experimenting with collaborative practices in the area.
In Eindhoven, the former gas work area of the city is now being redeveloped with the end-users at the heart of the process. Citizens have to make decisions that concern them. They are given more responsibilities and therefore commit more strongly to the process of cocreation.
Turin decided to look and get inspired by what was happening in its neighbourhoods. With the network of public spaces Casa del Quartiere in place, associations, citizens and artistic and cultural operators are working together to transform abandoned structures and vacant land and foster community spirit and the creation of social enterprises.
Find more examples of participatory approaches and social inclusion in cultural heritage in the second ROCK case studies booklet.