news

For this episode we’re taking a look at the Manifesta festival and this sixteenth edition of Europe’s nomadic biennial of contemporary art. Running from 21 June to 4 October 2026, it unfolds across the entire Ruhr region, taking in the major industrial centres of Bochum, Duisburg, Essen and Gelsenkirchen. Presented by John Beauchamp and Katarzyna Jagodzińska. In the podcast we hear from Founding Director of Manifesta Hedwig Fijen, who steps down from her post in October 2026, and veteran Polish curator, historian and art critic Anda Rottenberg.

Applications are now open for the second edition of the European Heritage Hub Small Grants Programme for heritage projects carried out by civil society organisations in the following 11 neighbouring and EU candidate countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine.

Can scent be used to convey heritage? What opportunities, challenges and risks are involved in using this sense in our work? During the latest online meeting of the Narrative Heritage Network on Wednesday 17 June 2026, we explored possibilities for new ways of telling stories. John Beauchamp, our guide to olfactory heritage, demonstrated how aromas can become part of the experience alongside sight and sound.

What’s in a smell? For this session of the Narrative Heritage Network from the Europa Nostra European Heritage Hub, we explore the world of olfactory senses and how we can conjure up worlds through smell. During the online meeting, we will explore how certain smells can conjure up certain emotions, memories, reactions… How can we harness the power of the olfactory network to deepen the experience of heritage? The discussion will be led by heritage expert and researcher and John Beauchamp. Do join us online on Wednesday 17 June 2026 at 1000 CEST.

The Narrative Heritage Network, launched at the end of 2025 by the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Kraków, the 2026 season opened on Wednesday 29 April with an online workshop session on the use of sound in heritage hosted by John Beauchamp, an audio professional and sonic heritage researcher.

We warmly invite you to the second meeting of the Narrative Heritage Network, which will be held online on Wednesday 29 April at 13:30 CEST. In creating this discussion platform, we aim to unite people involved in storytelling on a daily basis – museum staff, non-governmental organisations and cultural institutions, artists, and outreach professionals – to exchange experiences, engage in discussions on current challenges and share best practices.

As part of the project Mapping the Non-Governmental Heritage Sector in North and Western Europe (2026–2027), we are launching the survey phase addressed to non-governmental organisations active in the field of cultural heritage in Northern and Western Europe. The study is carried out by the International Cultural Centre in Krakow within the framework of the European Heritage Hub, coordinated by Europa Nostra.

On 12 March, the Steering Committee of the European Heritage Hub project held its first meeting. Poland was represented by Agata Wąsowska-Pawlik (Director of the ICC), Dr Joanna Sanetra-Szeliga, and Dr Katarzyna Jagodzińska (members of the research team).

Professor Gábor Sonkoly, a renowned theoretician of cultural heritage and co-creator of the discourse of the historic urban landscape, talks to Dr Katarzyna Jagodzińska about the practical application of the concept in the form of the European Heritage Label and other ‘lists’ and ‘registers’ of heritage sites and practices. Does the abundance of heritage inscriptions distract the public’s attention, or does it help to raise awareness and develop the heritage economy?

In January 2026, the team working with the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Kraków started the second stage of their project to map the non-governmental heritage sector across Europe. This project is being carried out as part of the European Heritage Hub (EHH) consortium, which is led by Europa Nostra. The International Cultural Centre is managing the project activities, with communication support provided by the Society of Friends of Kraków History and Heritage.

In the fourth interview of the ‘Heritage Voices’ series, Dr Katarzyna Jagodzińska talks to Dr Mechtilda Rössler, who has been involved with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre since its inception in 1992. In this interview, the expert shares her insights on the processes of inscribing sites on the World Heritage List, and discusses the challenges and concerns related to its development and heritage protection. The most worrying issues seem to be the politicisation of nominations and the ulterior motives behind them. Should the focus be on managing sites that are already on the List better, or on expanding the List with new sites?

EC1 Łódź hosted the unveiling ceremony for the European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award plaque, one of the most prestigious awards in the field of cultural heritage protection in Europe! Prof. Jacek Purchla, Vice-President of Europa Nostra and Chairman of the Europa Nostra Awards Jury, and Agata Wąsowska-Pawlik, a member of the Europa Nostra Board, attended the event.