Urban cultures are increasingly constituted at the crossroads of cultures, religions, and ideologies at the local, regional, national and global level. Conflicting ideas of development, conservation and urban planning bring attention to the importance of broadening the understanding of the socio-cultural, political, economic and environmental problems we are faced with today.

Different groups of interest have for a long time sought to influence the planning of city space in various directions in response to the challenges of a rapidly increasing urbanization. As an example researchers and activists have in urban habitats observed a developmental agenda shared by big city governments and corporate players alike myopically focusing on a city´s marketability, leading to a commodification of cultural representation, expressions and cultural memories.

Recognizing the danger inherent in this agenda of excluding democratic participation from below, citizenship groups and NGO´s seeking common ground have succeeded in exploring and finding alternative and creative solutions to urban challenges that have found resonance and support among city managers and meeting the aspirations of the general public. In some research environments in cities like Bangkok, Osaka, Zagreb and Dubrovnik the cultural sectors of art and music have been able to contribute to such explorations in a fruitful way.

Various media for researching as well as spheres for interventions – tangible and intangible – are conceivable. For music, e.g., what does a soundscape of a concrete city reveal about its social reality? About different dimensions of image construction? About activities of various social groups?" For arts, e.g., which artistic practices and initiatives can contribute to double reading of urban and cultural memory in urban spaces, and relate it to lived and living expressions? How can art counteract the dominant urban trend of aestheticization and the function of culture in urban contexts that has become „image-based“ and commodified ?

There seems to be consensus about the way ahead: In order to address the pressing challenges of a rapidly globalizing world we need to reopen our cities as living, communicative spaces, bringing into our lives a sense of living together in shared and living spaces. We need to re-envision the urban fabric as a living, thriving and sustainable community. The UN Post-2015 Agenda calls for a new participatory and collaborative effort in studying and consequently making informed recommendations and decisions about our future course. Recognizing these pressing needs the organizer invite researchers, practicioners, politicians, students, activists and artists to collaborate in our quest for a sustainable urban future by participating in our conference. In accord with the leadership of the Inter-university Cenre Dubrovnik conferences focusing on urban culture studies are being planned as annual occurrences.

Deadline for abstract submission: May 15th, 2015. We invite abstracts of no more than 500 words (including an indicative reference list).

Presentations in the form of papers, visual presentations and panels are especially welcome but not obligatory for registration and attendance, as are also contributions to the peer reviewed Journal of Urban Culture Research.

Administration and organizational costs, working materials, and coffee breaks during conference are covered by the organizers.