GCDN 2019: A Year in Review – Happy Holidays!

Dec 2019

Happy Holidays! As the year draws to a close, we look back on the evolution of the Network in 2019 and share some of what’s in store for GCDN in 2020.

 

NEW MEMBERS

In 2019, we had the pleasure to welcome eight new members:

We are delighted that these new voices have joined the Network and can only look forward to our meaningful conversations.

 

CONVENINGS

This summer, many of you joined us for the GCDN Annual Convening – Singapore 2019. Local co-hosts National Museum of Singapore and National Heritage Board regaled us with a wonderful welcome, and participants – members and non-members alike – engaged in two and a half days of panel discussions, breakout workshops, technical tours and social events.

Two future events were announced right after Singapore: GCDN Regional Convening – Houston 2020 and GCDN Annual Convening – Lugano 2020.

We decided to cancel the regional event in Houston due to weak attendance projections, but Lugano is definitely happening. We will circulate initial details and open registrations early in the New Year.

GCDN and LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura look forward to welcoming you in Lugano, June 15-17, 2020!

 

RESEARCH

In 2019, GCDN commissioned a report on the Social Impact of Cultural Districts. The study was conducted by Prof. Geoffrey Crossick and featured contributions from several members. We published the report in March and discussed its findings during the convening in August.

The engagement in Singapore and subsequent feedback from our members highlighted a strong appetite in the Network for more participative research, which led us to increase our agenda for 2020.

All these research initiatives will strongly rely on active participation from our members and the Lugano convening in June will serve as a focus point for reporting progress and workshopping these topics.

 

***

What a year! Many thanks to all of our members for the positive collaborations, fascinating discussions and sustained growth, and for making our Network a great platform for beneficial cooperation and knowledge-sharing.

We are delighted to welcome back Beatrice, who is returning from maternity leave and reprising her position as GCDN Director in the new year. We all look forward to continue the work together in 2020!

GCDN 2019 Team
(Adrian, Beatrice, Greg,
Anupam, Guk, Laura, Liam,
and so on and so forth…)
December 20, 2019