Culture, Arts and Society

Part of Salzburg Global's Culture Pillar

Our Purpose

The Culture, Arts and Society program brings together artists, cultural institutions, policymakers, and funders to reimagine how culture can drive social transformation.

Why It Matters

For more than 30 years, the Culture, Arts and Society program has connected and supported artists and cultural leaders from every inhabited continent, providing them with insight, inspiration, and global networks to drive social change through the arts.

As an annual program, the series explores the major global shifts and emerging challenges redefining the future of culture, from the rise of new technologies and the climate crisis to questions of artistic freedom, equity, and decolonization.

It offers a rare platform for cross-sector collaboration, where participants collectively generate insights, shape strategic priorities, and build a shared understanding of how sustainable, sovereign, and equitable cultural ecosystems can thrive.

The program strengthens collaboration across regions and disciplines, equipping participants with the knowledge, networks, and strategies to reimagine the role of culture in society.

By amplifying participants’ ideas through Salzburg Global’s global platforms, it catalyzes collaboration, accelerates learning across borders, and advances a more connected and resilient cultural ecosystem worldwide.

Our Format

The Culture, Arts and Society program convenes an annual session at Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg, Austria, bringing together cultural leaders, policymakers, and funders from around the world for dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning.

Each edition focuses on a theme selected for its relevance to the most urgent issues and evolving conversations within the global cultural sector.

Sessions are co-designed with participants, who work collectively to shape the agenda and ensure that discussions reflect diverse perspectives, regional contexts, and lived experiences.

Ahead of each in-person gathering, participants take part in online co-creation meetings to align goals, exchange insights, and contribute to the program’s collaborative design.

Get Involved

Who Is Eligible To Participate?

The Culture, Arts and Society series welcomes participants from around the world who are shaping the future of culture and creativity as forces for social transformation. Participants should:

Be artists, cultural leaders, creative practitioners, or professionals working within or alongside the cultural and creative sectors to advance inclusive, sustainable, and just societies.
Be contributing to or leading initiatives, organizations, or networks that use culture or creative practice to address contemporary challenges or drive social transformation.
Demonstrate an interest in cross-sector collaboration and collective learning, and in exchanging ideas, experiences, and approaches with peers from around the world.
Be eager to share experiences and co-create insights with peers from diverse disciplines, regions, and backgrounds in an environment of mutual learning.
Be comfortable communicating in English, the working language of Salzburg Global.

The program is open globally and welcomes participants from all professional levels and backgrounds. Salzburg Global actively prioritizes participation from individuals and communities historically underrepresented in the arts and culture sector, including people of color, disabled individuals, those who identify as LGBTQ+*, and participants from low-income, Indigenous, and ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Each year, the program's specific theme and focus change to reflect the most relevant issues facing the global cultural sector.

The profile of participants best suited to contribute, therefore, varies annually. Please refer to individual session pages for details on upcoming themes and participation criteria.

*LGBT+: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. This term is used inclusively to reflect other cultural and historical understandings of sexuality, gender, intersex, and gender non-conforming identities.

Is There a Cost To Participate?

Thanks to the generous support of our partners, including the Edward T. Cone Foundation, a number of scholarships are available each year to cover program participation costs, room and board at Schloss Leopoldskron, and, in some cases, travel support for selected participants.

Participants affiliated with institutions are encouraged to cover their own program, room and board, and travel costs, allowing Salzburg Global to prioritize scholarship funding for those most in need, particularly independent artists, cultural practitioners, and participants without institutional support.

How Can I Participate?

Recruitment for the Culture, Arts and Society program typically opens in the final quarter of each year. Participants are selected through a combination of open applications and nominations from Salzburg Global’s global network of partners and alumni.

Details about the annual program theme and participant profile are shared through Salzburg Global’s channels. Please subscribe to the Salzburg Global Newsletter to receive updates on upcoming themes and the call for applications.