3rd encounter: Cultural action as a tool for social cohesion

In a context where social and territorial inequalities are growing, where public funding for culture is being questioned, and where social policies often struggle to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, cultural actors are emerging as figures of resistance.

Through their commitment, they reject the idea that culture should become a privilege for the few, and instead affirm its essential role in building a fairer and more inclusive society. On the ground, they create spaces for expression, social connection, and both individual and collective transformation—despite budget constraints, lack of public funding, institutional resistance, and the contradictory demands of public policy.

The first gathering, held in December in Montpellier as part of the HYPE OCC festival, opened the debate on the challenges and stakes of cultural action in the face of social and territorial inequalities.

The second gathering, in March 2025, aimed to go further in analyzing and sharing experiences, highlighting initiatives from different national contexts—Germany, Burkina Faso, France, and Sweden. We had the pleasure of welcoming, both in person and via videoconference, representatives of initiatives with diverse and innovative approaches:

• Jump Hub, led by CieLK in Ouagadougou, featuring striking projects of urban development and public gardening through dance;

• RFSL Västmansland (Sweden), working for the rights and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ newcomers, particularly through the European AMIF program;
  

• Bellevue di Monaco (Munich), a large-scale neighborhood initiative offering a wide range of services—from legal support and screenings to housing, activities, and integration;
  

• La Bulle Bleue (Montpellier), a cultural and artistic production space run by actors, technicians, gardeners, and cooks, supported by an educational and administrative team. This cross-disciplinary structure advocates for a caring society and actively defends the values of popular education and the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.
  

These guests shared their approaches and experiences, presenting their projects, methodologies, as well as the challenges and successes encountered in their respective contexts.

This exchange of perspectives on our practices, environments, and pragmatic solutions helped shed light on the strengths of these different models. It also highlighted how, across both Europe and Africa, cultural actors are resisting exclusionary logic and the commodification of culture.