Become a Member

GCDN membership is open to any organization responsible for creating or managing a cultural district or any organization interested in the intersection of creative and cultural activity, urbanism, and community engagement.

Membership Details

GCDN is a network of individuals and organizations – cultural institutions, designated cultural districts, non-profits, foundations, private initiatives and ad hoc entities – that are responsible for conceiving, funding, building, and operating areas in cities with a significant concentration of cultural activities. It exists to share good practice, influence the climate of opinion and provide a context for strengthening bilateral and multilateral discussion of topics of common concern and interest.

GCDN aims to be a truly global network and to encourage cross-cultural dialogue by fostering a safe and inclusive community. Our members come from states that are signatories of the Geneva Conventions and members of the ILO, and our international forum encompasses representatives from diverse social, political and cultural contexts but attendance and membership do not indicate endorsement by GCDN of any law or practice of the countries represented in the network.

Building a diverse community requires us to embrace differences and empower a multiplicity of voices. Therefore, we consider each application on its own merits, seeking shared interests and a common purpose leading to better mutual understanding. As a result, we are able to ensure that each new member will enrich the GCDN community and, in turn, benefit from it.

Benefits of Full Membership:

  • Invitation and registration fees waived for 2 representatives of the member organization to the annual convening and for 1 representative to the regional convening and other meetings, to share emerging best practices, hear expert panels, and discuss the place of cultural precincts and complexes in urban policy, economic development, and related areas of public policy such as travel and tourism;
  • Opportunities to establish strategic bilateral and multilateral partnerships for content, programming, skills training, and knowledge transfer;
  • Access to a members-only virtual forum for detailed sharing of information among members and discussion of opportunities and challenges online;
  • Access to members-only virtual roundtables and webinars;
  • Access to original research by AEA Consulting and others on topics of common interest such as programming, audience development, cultural tourism, professional development, effective models of governance, trends in technology and creative industries strategies, and more. Your concerns will inform and shape the developing research agenda;
  • Subscription to the GCDN Reading List, a bi-weekly email digest of articles relating to cultural districts, creative placemaking, arts in the urban context, and more. This email also features news about GCDN members;
  • Early access to the Cultural Infrastructure Index, an annual review of investment in capital projects in the cultural sector, identifying projects with a budget of US$10 million or more that were publicly announced or completed within a calendar year.

The Affiliate Membership tier is open, at GCDN’s discretion, to individuals or organizations with a professional interest in cultural districts and the intersection of creative and cultural activity, urbanism, and community engagement. Academics, policy analysts, architects, artists, planners, etc…

Benefits of Affiliate Membership:

  • Invitation and registration fees waived for 1 representative of the member organization to the annual convening to share emerging best practices, hear expert panels, and discuss the place of cultural precincts and complexes in urban policy, economic development, and related areas of public policy such as travel and tourism;
  • Opportunities to connect with member organizations to establish strategic bilateral and multilateral partnerships for content, programming, skills training, and knowledge transfer;
  • Access to members-only virtual roundtables and webinars;
  • Access to original research on topics of common interest such as programming, audience development, cultural tourism, professional development, effective models of governance, trends in technology and creative industries strategies, and more. Your concerns will inform and shape the developing research agenda;
  • Subscription to the GCDN Reading List, a bi-weekly email digest of articles relating to cultural districts, creative placemaking, arts in the urban context, and more. This email also features news about GCDN members;
  • Early access to the Cultural Infrastructure Index, an annual review of investment in capital projects in the cultural sector, identifying projects with a budget of US$10 million or more that were publicly announced or completed within a calendar year.

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