Culture Next on Odesa’s opportunities to apply for the title of European Capital of Culture

In the Polish city of Bielsko-Biała, the 15th Culture Next Conference — one of the key events for urban cultural initiatives in Europe — has come to an end.
This year, the Ukrainian delegation from Odesa included Olena Iliasova, Acting Director of the Municipal Museum of Personal Collections named after O. V. Bleschunov (Odesa), and Iana Boitsova, Head of the Pixelated Realities PO and coordinator of European cultural projects.

The event took place from 15 to 17 October 2025, bringing together representatives from 44 cities working to promote culture and well-being in their communities.
On 16 October, an open day was held dedicated to the theme “Culture and Well-being.” Participants attended inspiring talks by international experts, including a presentation by an Australian researcher on the direct positive impact of art on health and well-being, as well as on cross-sectoral collaborations between the fields of health and culture.

Discussions focused on audience engagement practices and methods of supporting mental health through art. For example, Darren Abrahams — performer, trauma therapist, coach, and workshop leader — spoke about his orchestra, which helps integrate people living in migration centers through music. He also works in Ukraine as an art therapy consultant for veterans and wounded soldiers at a rehabilitation center in Lviv.

The day’s highlights included panel discussions, artistic performances, networking sessions, relaxation concerts, autumn forest walks, and movement therapy workshops.
During the pitching session, Odesa presented its work on the Cultural Development Strategy 2030 and invited cities working on transforming their cultural and historical narratives to potential collaboration. The Municipal Museum of Personal Collections named after O. V. Bleschunov introduced its new comic book “Odesa. A Museum War Diary”, which uses cat-like characters to tell stories about the first three years of the full-scale invasion, aimed at audiences aged 12 and up.

“Odesa is a city that is only beginning to explore the possibility of applying for the title of European Capital of Culture. We are working on building new partnerships and support, as well as introducing city institutions and cultural organizations to the principles and benefits of this initiative,” — said Iana Boitsova. “We hope that next year a new call will be announced for countries outside the EU, and Odesa will have the opportunity to apply for the title of European Capital of Culture.”

On 17 October, the conference focused on networking and experience exchange among Culture Next member cities, sharing best practices in implementing European cultural programs. A special session was organized for the delegation from Odesa and representatives of other cities, including mobility marketing, “therapeutic sessions” for cities at different stages of the European Capital of Culture process, and thematic excursions — street art, architectural heritage, the Foto Art Festival, and a library for children with special needs.

As part of the visit, a meeting was held with the Museum of the Dukes Sułkowski Castle, where future cooperation in exhibitions and joint research was discussed. The Municipal Museum of Personal Collections named after O. V. Bleschunov holds in its collection a unique item from the Sułkowski dinner set — one of the first in Europe created for use rather than decoration. Researchers from Bielsko-Biała were able to identify it thanks to its digitization for an online catalog.

It is worth noting that the official Culture Next website already features a dedicated page about Odesa as an active member city of the network. You can find more information at: https://culturenext.eu/city/odesa-4/