In the contemporary landscape of post-industrial societies, urban revitalization goes beyond the mere modernization of buildings. Former industrial sites that have been transformed become dynamic platforms for artistic, cultural, and heritage expression, thereby enriching the cultural fabric of their surroundings.
The Co.Gov project aims to strengthen skills and knowledge related to sustainable participatory governance models applied to industrial spaces that have been reconverted into creative hubs or third places.
The Co.Gov project is built on the collaboration between us, Nod Makerspace – a creative hub based in Bucharest, Romania – and La Friche la Belle de Mai, in Marseille, France.
The aim is to stimulate reflection on the common obstacles and challenges faced by these hybrid spaces, in order to identify core principles, key factors, and concrete steps for developing participatory governance in existing centers or in the creation of new, mature ones.
In an urban context marked by a large number of vacant or underused buildings and spaces, there is a clear need to explore and understand innovative models of participatory governance, mechanisms for financial sustainability, and European best practices for managing creative hubs. The project sought to strengthen the relationship between public administration, the cultural sector, the private sector, and communities, creating a framework for long-term collaboration.
To support the development of professionals’ and decision-makers’ skills in co-creation and the co-governance of cultural and creative spaces.
To encourage the exchange of knowledge and experience between Romania and France in the field of culture-led urban revitalization.
To create tools and public policy recommendations that support urban cultural ecosystems.
To facilitate dialogue among key actors involved in the sustainable transformation of cities.
The project was carried out over the course of one year and included a series of thematic workshops, co-creation sessions, questionnaires, and interviews with specialists, complemented by a study visit to Marseille. The entire research and dialogue process was synthesized in the guide “Participatory Governance of Creative Hubs”, which brings together the conclusions and recommendations formulated by the participants.
The workshops took place in Bucharest, Marseille, and in a hybrid format, bringing together over 45 experts and representatives of public institutions, cultural operators, and civic initiatives.
A central moment of the project was the study visit to our partners at La Friche la Belle de Mai in Marseille, a long-standing European benchmark in participatory governance for large-scale cultural spaces.
Together with representatives of the local administration in Bucharest, we explored the funding and governance models implemented at La Friche la Belle de Mai, La Citadelle, La Talus, Cité des Arts de la Rue, and LICA.
Another important moment was the project’s final event, held at Nod Makerspace in Bucharest on October 23, 2025, dedicated to the launch of the guide “Participatory Governance of Creative Hubs” and to a debate on the future of underused spaces in Bucharest.
The guide “Participatory Governance of Creative Hubs” represents the consolidated outcome of the workshops, study visits, and co-creation sessions carried out within the CoGov project. The publication offers a practical reference tool for professionals involved in the transformation and management of cultural and creative spaces, particularly in urban areas undergoing reconversion.
The guide documents good practices adapted to the challenges collectively identified during the workshops and maps out core principles, success factors, identified risks related to co-governance and financial sustainability, key competencies, as well as the visions and pitfalls of governance.
To strengthen the skills of coordinators, founders, and actors involved in the management of cultural spaces.
To describe proven models of urban transformation, economic sustainability, and participatory governance.
To support the practices of cultural hubs and other third-place actors by providing documented feedback and tools that can be directly mobilized in local projects.
Coordinators of cultural spaces, hubs, fab labs, incubators, co-creation spaces, and social centers;
Urban planning professionals, policy makers, and technical teams within local authorities;
Associations, civic collectives, and local activists engaged in urban regeneration;
Transnational networks and communities of practice dedicated to culture and urban development.
The CoGov project highlighted the need for a cross-cutting approach in addressing the issue of vacant spaces—a topic that is relevant both for environmental policies, land use, densification, and community development, as well as for social services and cultural activities.
Among the main conclusions formulated:
Participatory governance should be initiated from the vision-definition stage, through the early involvement of public authorities, cultural operators, communities, and the private sector;
Urban revitalization must be aligned with local strategies (SIDU, the Bucharest Cultural Strategy, the Climate City Contract – M100) and supported by clear and transparent legal instruments;
Diversification of funding sources is essential, combining European funds, local public resources, and private investments, including civic crowdfunding mechanisms;
Small-scale testing of collaboration models is recommended, through pilot projects that can later be scaled up, along with the involvement of organizations that already have relevant experience;
There is a need to create a dedicated structure, department, or agency responsible for managing underused spaces at the city level in Bucharest.
Building a community of practice bringing together professionals, institutions, and public administration is essential to ensure the continuity and coherence of public policies in this field.
Through its results, CoGov proposes a working model that can be adopted and scaled up in other cities across Romania. The project has strengthened a network of stakeholders interested in cultural and urban revitalization, creating the foundations for new forms of collaboration, research, and funding.
CoGov demonstrates that urban regeneration cannot be conceived separately from culture, sustainability, inclusion, and participation—key elements for building creative, resilient, and equitable cities.
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