February demonstrated in practice just how much the cultural and creative sector today finds itself at the intersection of several parallel transformations – digital, green and social. For the ARTeria Foundation, it was an exceptionally intense month, but above all one full of meetings that were not limited to diagnosis, but focused on concrete solutions and tools.

We launched a new project, Civic Heritage Quest, which combines cultural heritage with gamification and technology, responding to the real challenge of engaging the younger generation. We ran a seminar on digital skills for the creative sector, where artificial intelligence was analysed not only as a tool but also as an ethical and environmental challenge. The launch of the GreenCCircle HUB, in turn, demonstrated how sustainable development goals can be translated into concrete actions and decisions in everyday practice.

We were also present at key European debates – from discussions on the future of EU cultural policy in Brussels, through talks on the transfer of skills and the sustainability of projects in Stuttgart, to study visits to Estonia and Finland, which demonstrated how to systematically implement digitalisation and innovation in education. There was one common thread running through these experiences: the need to combine knowledge, expertise and cross-sectoral cooperation.

We return from February with concrete inspiration, new partnerships and the conviction that change in the cultural sector is happening today primarily through practice – you can read below about how we are translating these experiences into our actions.

Wenancjusz Ochmann
Vice-President of the ARTeria Foundation

FEBRUARY 2026

Civic Heritage Quest – we are launching a new project

On 1 February 2026, we launched a new project – Civic Heritage Quest. This project is aimed at young people and educators, with the aim of increasing engagement with cultural heritage through digital tools and game-based learning.

The project creates engaging educational experiences in the form of quests – both field-based, using geolocation, and virtual, available online. Participants explore heritage through storytelling, puzzles and interactive challenges, whilst developing digital, social and civic skills.

The project will result in a mobile app and a web platform featuring educational materials, thematic modules and tutorials to support work with young people. In parallel, training sessions will be held for educators on creating digital content and working with the quest method.

The project combines cultural education with digital innovation, promoting active citizenship, intercultural dialogue and a sense of identity. Thanks to its hybrid model and international collaboration, it offers a scalable and accessible solution for cultural education in Europe.

More about the project coming soon!

Digital Skills for Creative

On 16 February, the ARTeria Foundation team led a mini-seminar as part of the GreenCCircle project entitled ‘Digital Skills for Creative Professionals’. The meeting focused on the role of artificial intelligence in the cultural sector and creative industries, which are increasingly undergoing digital transformation. During the seminar, participants discussed what AI is and what challenges – ethical, legal and economic – are associated with its use in the fields of art and design. The discussion also addressed whether AI poses a threat to creative work or rather opens up new opportunities for its development, as well as the environmental consequences of its widespread adoption.

Participants had the opportunity to analyse the potential for using AI in their own professional practice, considering whether it can genuinely support the creative process and how to use it in a conscious and responsible manner. The seminar provided a space for reflection on the future of creativity in the digital age and on the sustainable development of digital skills. The event was organised by South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, Xamk (Finland), as part of the Academy GreenCCircle series of mini-seminars.

This and other mini-seminars are available on the GreenCCircle Academy. Join us!

GreenCCircle Hub – come and join us!

GreenCCircle HUB has been launched as a new European knowledge hub for professionals in the cultural and creative sectors who wish to actively work towards a more sustainable future. For the ARTeria Foundation, the HUB is a key element in fulfilling its mission of translating sustainable development policy objectives into practical tools that can be applied in day-to-day work. The platform brings together concrete solutions, operational frameworks and case studies, addressing the existing gap between the EU’s strategic goals and the realities of creative practice.

A key distinguishing feature of the HUB is its co-creative nature – it has been developed based on the experiences of Living Labs and cross-sectoral collaboration across various European countries, integrating the perspectives of creators, educators, researchers and decision-makers. As a result, it serves as a tool supporting the long-term development of competencies in the field of sustainable development and the exchange of knowledge between communities. Regardless of the field of activity – the cultural sector, design, the audiovisual sector, heritage, education or policy – the HUB supports informed decision-making, the development of cooperation and a tangible impact on the sector’s transformation.

The platform is available at https://hub.greenccircle.eu/, and users can also contribute to its resources by adding their own materials and best practices via the form: https://hub.greenccircle.eu/hub-submission/.

Annual Policy Conversation 2026 in Brussels

The Annual Policy Conversation 2026 was one of the key events dedicated to cultural policy, bringing together EU decision-makers with representatives of the cultural sector, heritage sector and civil society. The meeting took place on 3 February 2026 in Brussels, at a crucial moment for Europe – during negotiations on the EU budget for 2028–2034, the definition of new strategic priorities and the implementation of the Culture Compass initiative, a new framework for EU cultural policy.

Discussions focused on future support for culture and heritage within the EU budget, the role of the AgoraEU programme (covering the areas of culture, media, rights and values), and the importance of civil society in shaping public policies. Another key theme was the analysis of the potential of Culture Compass for Europe as a tool for addressing contemporary European challenges, including the need to strengthen democracy.

The event was attended by representatives of key institutions and organisations, including Bozar, the European Cultural Foundation, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Another key element was the open agora, which facilitated direct dialogue with civil society organisations. The ARTeria Foundation, as a member of Culture Action Europe since 2010, actively participates in such debates, engaging in the development of cultural policies at the European level.

Transferability Conference in Stuttgart

On 4 February 2026, Stuttgart hosted the international Transferability Conference – an event dedicated to how to effectively translate project outcomes into tangible social, economic and environmental change, and how to develop the skills needed to support Europe’s green, digital and creative transformation. The conference brought together representatives from public institutions, non-governmental organisations, the creative sector, SMEs and European projects, creating a space for discussion, exchange of experiences and building cooperation.

The debates focused on the transfer of knowledge and tools to end-users – including the creative sector, tourism and local communities – as well as the role of new skills in addressing the challenges of transformation. Participants analysed how to ensure the sustainability of project outcomes and how to build their long-term impact after funding ends, whilst also taking into account the perspective of beneficiaries and their real needs.

Anna Ochmann took part in the panel discussion ‘Emerging skills for Green, Digital & Creative futures’, which focused on the key skills of the future, such as green and digital skills, interdisciplinary creativity and skills supporting sustainable development. At the same time, Wenancjusz Ochmann actively promoted the projects run by the ARTeria Foundation – Green CCircle, AI4CREATIVITY and YOUR.AI – demonstrating how they combine technological innovation, creativity and sustainable development in practice.

Another key element of the programme was the ‘8 Projects – 8 Skill Pathways’ session, during which the Green CCircle project was presented as an example of the effective development of green skills in the creative sector. The conference programme included keynote speeches, panel discussions, project presentations and stakeholder contributions, creating a coherent picture of the challenges and directions for skills development in Europe.

Best Practices in Digital Pedagogy and AI in Finland and Estonia

From 10 to 13 February 2026, the international event “Best Practices in Digital Pedagogy and AI in Finland and Estonia” took place, focusing on modern approaches to digital education and the use of artificial intelligence. The event featured a series of seminars attended by representatives from 12 countries, including experts from school education and the VET sector.

Anna Ochmann, President of the ARTeria Foundation, attended the meeting. Discussions focused on the educational models of Finland and Estonia. Finland presented a system based on equality, free access to education, and a high level of autonomy and trust in teachers. Estonia, meanwhile, reaffirmed its position as a leader in digitalisation, with full accessibility to online public services, high educational outcomes, and the systematic implementation of digital competences and AI in schools.

The event showcased a coherent model for educational development based on high-quality teaching, teacher professionalism and a systemic approach to innovation. The meetings provided a vital forum for the exchange of experiences and yielded concrete conclusions for further international cooperation in the field of education and digital competences.

Artificial intelligence and creativity – where imagination meets algorithms

Join us for a meeting summarising the implementation of the AI4CREATIVITY project.

It has been a unique journey, during which the topic of artificial intelligence has become an important part of our daily work on behalf of artists and representatives of the creative industries, and ARTeria has become a recognised expert organisation in this field at EU level.

In collaboration with ACM STUDIO, we invite you to a meeting on Sunday, 15 March at 4.00 pm to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming our artistic and creative reality.

Second Green CCircle Local Living Lab

We invite you to the second Local Living Lab meeting of the Green CCircle project, which will take place on 14 March 2026 at the ACM art studio in Gliwice. This time, we will focus on a discussion about how artists and representatives of the creative industries can have a real impact on the green transition.

During the meeting, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the principles of the Green Circle Academy and the HUB, which support the development of skills and collaboration for the sustainable transformation of the cultural sector.

The meeting will be led by Wenancjusz Ochmann. We invite you to watch a video summarising the first meeting, also held in Gliwice: https://youtu.be/wnhZEkxhlcM

YOUR.AI for youth workers

We provide free resources and a course to help you better understand artificial intelligence and use it effectively in educational and creative work. The guides, tools and inspiration we have prepared are designed for those working with young people – combining theoretical knowledge with practical examples of how AI can be applied.

Particular attention should be paid to the AI course, which supports the development of digital skills, explores the ethical aspects of using artificial intelligence, and helps to design engaging activities and workshops for young people.

An AI course dedicated to artists and creators will also be launched shortly. Keep an eye on our activities to stay up to date!

Empowering Youth Talents – first partnership meeting in Poland

The kick-off meeting for the Empowering Youth Talents project will take place at Stacja Kultury, the Municipal Centre for Culture and Art in Pyskowice, on 16–18 March 2026.

This will not only be an opportunity for the project partners to get to know each other in person, but above all to discuss the project’s structure, objectives and target groups, as well as to plan the upcoming activities and outcomes. Participants will focus on key methodological principles, an analysis of the skills young people need to develop their passions and interests in the cultural and creative sectors, and the use of escape rooms and gamification as educational tools.

The next meeting is scheduled to take place in Turin in December this year. Until then, the partners will be working on the project’s first outputs: “Empowering Youth Creativity – The Talent Transformation Handbook” and “Escape rooms for the development of competences in CCIs – Exploring the Intersection of Arts and Gamification handbook”.

Research careers beyond borders: 30 years of the MSCA

The international conference “Research careers beyond borders: 30 years of the MSCA” will take place on 22–25 April 2026 in Brussels. The event will be attended by Anna Ochmann, President of the ARTeria Foundation and a member of the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA).

The MCAA Annual Conference is one of the key forums for knowledge exchange between the scientific community, decision-makers and innovation practitioners, focusing on the future of research and academic mobility in Europe. The Marie Curie Alumni Association is an international non-profit organisation bringing together individuals who are currently benefiting from, or have benefited from, funding under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme.

The MCAA community comprises researchers and professionals at various stages of their careers, representing different disciplines and sectors. Although members share a research background, their career paths often extend beyond the academic environment. The association supports this diversity by offering opportunities for professional development, networking and advocacy, thereby strengthening the long-term impact of the MSCA programme. The MCAA was established with the support of the European Commission, but its activities rely largely on member engagement and a grassroots model of collaboration.

Within the MCAA, Anna Ochmann is active in two working groups: one focusing on the development of sustainable research practices and the other on the role of artificial intelligence in research. In this context, on 24 February 2026, she participated in a session dedicated to updating the MSCA Green Charter and further directions for its implementation in EU research policies, and on 27 February 2026, she took part in a meeting of the AI in Research working group under the banner ‘The (Hidden) Cost of AI’, concerning the environmental, economic and social costs of artificial intelligence development and their implications for the research and innovation system.

Participation in the MCAA 2026 conference will mark the next stage in the development of the ARTeria Foundation’s international cooperation at the intersection of research, public policy and cultural practices.

Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity – Addressing culture as a global public good

The ARTeria Foundation will take part in the first ENCATC Talks event of 2026, organised in collaboration with FEDORA. The event will focus on UNESCO’s global report Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity – Addressing culture as a global public good, which analyses the implementation of the 2005 Convention and presents current data, trends and recommendations for the cultural and creative sectors.

The meeting will take place on 20 March 2026 and will focus on one of the report’s key issues – the status and working conditions of artists and professionals in the CCS sector. The discussion will cover, among other things, the role of research and data in shaping cultural policies and strengthening creative ecosystems in the context of future challenges.

The event will be attended by experts involved in the report’s preparation and representatives of the sector, and will be moderated by an ENCATC representative. This is the first in a series of ‘ ’ meetings leading up to the ENCATC Congress in Nice, dedicated to the role of artists and professionals in the creative sector in a changing world.

Participation in this event provides the ARTeria Foundation with another opportunity to engage in the European debate on cultural policies and to strengthen the role of the CCS sector in the context of sustainable development and social transformation.

Resilient Ties

The Resilient Ties | Resilient Ties – European Conference of Cultural Leaders will take place on 19–20 May 2026 at the NCK – St John’s Centre in Gdańsk. The event will explore questions about how to build social and cultural resilience in times of uncertainty, and what role culture can play in forging lasting relationships between people, institutions and regions across Europe.

The conference is organised by the Baltic Sea Cultural Centre in Gdańsk as part of the Satellite BEYOND programme of the Culture Action Europe (CAE) network, in collaboration with the Polish CAE Hub and partners from Central and Eastern Europe. The event will follow a format designed specifically to ensure the quality of dialogue, accessibility and the well-being of participants, and the programme will include debates, workshops, artistic and performative activities, as well as space for informal exchange of experiences.

Key topics will include culture and wellbeing, the use of artificial intelligence in creative and institutional work, the green transition of the cultural sector, freedom of artistic expression, and the role of cultural institutions in building social cohesion. Foresight workshops and work on scenarios for the future of culture in the region will also be a key element.

The ARTeria Foundation, as a member of the Culture Action Europe network and the Polish HUB CAE, will be involved in organising the event and co-creating this international space for dialogue and cooperation. The detailed conference programme will be announced shortly.

” … photography has died several times already. When Kodak introduced its camera for amateurs, when the 35mm format became popular, or – and I witnessed this death – when digital photography was replacing traditional photography. The next death is apparently happening now, as algorithms and so-called artificial intelligence flood the digital space with generative images. (…) but is that really the case?”

Read more in the article by Dr Rafał Siderski, a visual artist and academic lecturer, written especially for the AI4CREATIVITY project.

The article is available in Polish, English, Spanish, Italian, French and Slovak:

“We live in a culture. Literally. Culture directly influences our set of values, norms, beliefs and behavioural patterns. How we greet each other, what we eat, how we dress. On our communication style or the way we express emotions. Culture shapes our perception of the world, our attitude towards authority figures and our social relationships, and these differences become particularly apparent when working with people from different cultural backgrounds” – we invite you to read Wenancjusz Ochmann’s article, inspired by experiences from international music workshops.

Link to the article, produced as part of the international Mediate Your Future project, below (available in Polish, English, French and Italian)

“A hundred years ago, Claude Monet spent long months observing the light falling on haystacks in a field. He watched them at dawn and dusk, in the mist and in full sunlight, throughout the different seasons. The act of painting itself was time-consuming, but the crucial work took place even before he touched the canvas – in his careful observation. (…) AI-based tools have not eliminated creative work, but have shifted its burden. In the traditional process, artists devoted time to execution; today, more and more time is spent on selection and evaluation. The human hand has been replaced by the human eye”

Read more in Ivy Wei’s (UK) inspiring and insightful article on changes in the creative process, written especially for our AI4CREATIVITY project under the provocative title “Why your best AI-generated artwork might need a nap”

The article is available in Polish, English, French, Italian, Slovak and Spanish.