Regional Policy Lab on Culture – Toward Joint Youth Cultural Policy Recommendations for the Western Balkans
The Academy for the Development of Democracy (ADD) organized a Regional Policy Lab dedicated to culture and youth participation, within the framework of the Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe (RYDE) project funded by the European Union. The event brought together more than forty representatives of institutions, youth organizations, cultural institutions, experts, activists, and young people from Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. It marked one of the most inclusive regional gatherings to date focused on strengthening the role of young people in shaping cultural policies across the Western Balkans.
Over the past several months, each economy in the region developed its own national set of recommendations on culture and youth participation through national policy labs. This regional meeting served as a platform to compare those findings, identify shared priorities, and begin forming a unified regional approach that can serve as a foundation for future cooperation. Participants exchanged insights on legislative frameworks, the functioning of cultural institutions, youth cultural funding, access to EU programmes, and mechanisms for including young people in local cultural policymaking. One of the most inspiring discussions centered on the need to introduce the European concept of “triple transformation” – green, digital, and social – into cultural policies, ensuring that young people are supported to lead innovation in sustainability, digital culture, and social inclusion. This approach was recognized as both innovative and highly transferable across the region.
Discussions revealed that the Western Balkan economies share almost identical challenges: young people rarely participate in decision-making; cultural policies remain fragmented; funding is unstable; and access to European cultural and mobility programmes is insufficiently supported through national mechanisms. For this reason, a regional, collaborative approach is not only desirable but essential for building modern cultural policies that recognize young people as creators and drivers of cultural life, rather than merely its consumers.
Participants agreed on several common principles that will form the basis of the forthcoming regional set of recommendations. These include strengthening youth participation in cultural institutions and advisory bodies, aligning cultural and youth strategies, increasing public investment in culture, creating predictable financial mechanisms for youth and independent culture, improving access to cultural life for vulnerable groups, and harmonizing national legislation with ratified European and international conventions. The need for a strategic framework that enhances youth participation in EU cultural programmes was also strongly emphasized.
The atmosphere of the Regional Policy Lab was collaborative, open, and creative. Young participants shared experiences from their local communities, challenges they face in cultural production, and ideas for strengthening regional connectivity. Their contributions provided clear guidance for the development of the regional recommendation document, which will be finalized in the coming period and presented to decision-makers and international partners.
The Regional Policy Lab reaffirmed that the European Union, as the funder of the project, recognizes the importance of youth participation in policymaking and the value of cultural cooperation as a space for democratic development, innovation, and dialogue. ADD and its partners will continue consultations and finalize the regional recommendation framework, which will serve as a shared platform for advancing cultural policies and empowering young people across all Western Balkan economies.
