A three-day meeting was held in Budapest as part of the project “EUFEAST – Festive Pathways to a Sustainable Tomorrow”
Within the framework of the project “Festival Pathways to a Sustainable Future – EUFEAST”, a cross-border knowledge exchange activity was organized by the host in Budapest from 10 to 13 June 2026. The activity brought together members of the project consortium and relevant decision-makers with the aim of strengthening international cooperation, exchanging experiences and improving knowledge in the field of festival management, sustainable development and cultural policies.
The EUFEAST project aims to improve public policies in the fields of culture and sustainable tourism through strengthening institutional capacity, knowledge exchange and developing innovative approaches in festival organization. Special focus is placed on the involvement of local communities and stakeholders in the planning and implementation of festival activities, in order to contribute to sustainable development, the preservation of cultural values and the strengthening of the cultural and creative sector.
During the meeting, the partners exchanged experiences and presented the results of their work to date with stakeholders, with a special focus on the challenges and opportunities for the development of the festival sector in different European environments. Special attention was paid to the process of identifying and analyzing examples of good practice, as well as developing mechanisms for knowledge transfer and the application of successful models in different local contexts.
The program also included study visits to cultural institutions and festival initiatives that represent examples of innovative cultural content management, audience development, and the application of sustainability principles in the cultural sector. Participants had the opportunity to gain practical insights into the functioning of the local cultural ecosystem and to consider the possibilities of applying the acquired experiences in their own environments.
It was concluded that the activity significantly contributed to strengthening cooperation among partners and stakeholders, exchanging knowledge and gaining new insights into the application of sustainable and innovative approaches in the organization of festivals and the development of cultural policies. The knowledge gained and identified examples of good practice will form the basis for further implementation of project activities and the development of future initiatives.
The project is funded by the Interreg Europe Programme under the priority: A More Social Europe – Culture and Sustainable Tourism.
You can find more about the EUFEAST project on the official website of the Interreg Europe Programme: https://www.interregeurope.eu/eufeast
