Finalists announced for BSR Cultural Pearls 2025: sixteen municipalities move forward

The call for applications for the BSR Cultural Pearls 2025 title, now in its second edition, has concluded with eighteen small and medium-sized municipalities from the Baltic Sea Region submitting applications. This increase from last year’s twelve applications highlights growing interest among less central areas in using culture to enhance social resilience.

The selection process for the BSR Cultural Pearls 2025 involves two stages. Following pre-selection, sixteen municipalities have advanced to the next phase, which entails developing a Cultural and Resilience Action Plan (CuReAP) by October 31, 2024.

The sixteen municipalities moving forward are:

Lithuania: Alytus District
Latvia: Smiltene, Cesvaine, Stāmeriena
Poland: Plock, Redzikowo, Słupsk, Kobylinca, Tarnogród
Finland: Hailuoto, Kaskinen, Nykarleby
Denmark: Vejle
Estonia: Peipsiääre, Mulgi
Sweden: Helsingborg

Candidates will receive support from national mentors, expert webinars, and access to a good practices catalogue. They will also benefit from insights shared by municipalities awarded the BSR Cultural Pearls 2024 title.

The final selection, based on the Cultural and Resilience Action Plans, will be conducted by the international jury of experts in social resilience, urban planning, arts and culture, along with representatives from pan-Baltic and European organizations.

The four most compelling plans will be awarded the BSR Cultural Pearl 2025 title, to be announced in December 2024. The BSR Cultural Pearls project, co-funded by the EU’s Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme and implemented by a consortium of 12 partner organizations, aims to strengthen social resilience in Baltic Sea Region municipalities by harnessing local assets of culture, creativity and community action.