On May 10 through May 13, 2017, the Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN) met in Barcelona, Spain for its annual meeting, gathering over 120 cultural and urban leaders from 26 different countries. The convening was co-organized by Future Places and involved many local partners: the Poblenou Urban District, the CCCB (Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona), the City Council of Barcelona, the City Council of L’Hospitalet, and Barcelona Global.
Over the course of these three days, participants visited three different cultural districts: the Poblenou Urban District, El Raval Cultural District, and the L’Hospitalet Cultural District. Beyond these guided tours, the convening featured panel discussions, workshops, and presentations on topics including cultural tourism, international collaborations and co-commissions, animation of public space, branding and identity of cultural districts, lighting and urban design, and cultural infrastructure.