The transnational project “Culture trAnSforming communiTies and economies” (CAST) aims to leverage the rich cultural heritage of the Danube Region to enhance social inclusion and drive economic growth as part of the green transition.

Project partners from eleven countries across the Danube Region will develop a model to support local communities in delivering inclusive cultural activities and sustainable tourism products. Through pilot actions, this model will be tested and validated in diverse settings, ensuring its applicability and effectiveness across various cultural landscapes.

CAST stands out for its integrated approach to training and capacity building, ensuring that communities are equipped for effective implementation. By mainstreaming the model at policy levels and securing funding, the project aims for broad adoption in support of a just and green transition.

The CAST project is designed to (objective 1) increase capacity and empower communities on social inclusion via the transformative force of culture, by organising workshops and training for cultural and tourism professionals, which aims to deepen knowledge on culture-based social inclusion and encourage meaningful dialogue. The project also focuses on (objective 2) forming lighthouse resilient communities via participatory design solutions for accessible culture, creating inclusive and accessible services and products through pilot actions at 11 sites, where new cultural understandings are tested to transform community dynamics, improve access for vulnerable groups, and stimulate economic growth. Finally, the project aims to (objective 3) capitalise on, mainstream, and transfer the resulting CAST Model across the Danube Region and beyond. This ensures the model’s widespread adoption through collaborative promotion and policy integration, maximizing its impact in putting a vision of a socially just and green transition into practice.

 

Lead partner: Iskriva, Institute for Development of Local Potentials (Slovenia)

Project partners:

Public Institute for Culture and Tourism Nice and Homely Ivančna Gorica (Slovenia)

Koprivnica Križevci County (Croatia)

Tourism Organization of Vojvodina (Serbia)

NGO Urban Cult (Montenegro)

Savaria Museum (Hungary)

Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (Hungary)

The Collective Foundation (Bulgaria)

Transylvania Trust Foundation (Romania)

URBASOFIA S.R.L. (Romania)

Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (Austria)

National Inbound and Domestic Tourism Association of Moldova (Republic of Moldova)

Development Agency Zepce Ltd. (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

 

The project will be implemented between April 2025 and March 2028.

For more information, visit the project website: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/CAST

The project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme, co-funded by the European Union.