Culture BSR Cultural Pearls

BSR Cultural Pearls

BSR Cultural Pearls was a project 2023–2025. The project partners continue their cooperation within the Cultural Pearls network.

Photo: Kasper Dalkarl

Cultural Pearls Network

The Cultural Pearls Network acts to strengthen local communities and promote social resilience in the Baltic Sea Region. By engaging and involving their citizens – increasing their sense of belonging, trust, and cooperative skills – cities and municipalities make their communities stronger and more resilient, in other words having the collective ability as a community to adapt and transform to continue to thrive.

Annually, the network welcomes local authorities in the region to join this transformative journey by applying for the Cultural Pearls title. In the process applicant cities develop action plans for community engagement and culture-driven resilience. Through a meticulous selection process, the candidates with the most impactful action plans are awarded with the Cultural Pearls title. 

The initiative is led by the Cultural Pearls Network consisting of partners from every corner of the Baltic Sea Region forming an Executive Board and supported by a Secretariat. National Contact Points in each member state support new cities in their application process.

The journey

The process of becoming a Cultural Pearl unfolds in stages. When the call for application is open, interested cities submit an online application form outlining their motivation to become a Pearl. A screening of applications results in a shortlist of candidates who enter a phase of action plan development, creating Culture and Resilience Action Plans with presentations of specialised tools through webinars. An international jury then selects the best plans to award the BSR Cultural Pearl title.

Why apply?

Award recipients then embark on a one-year title year during which time their action plan is implemented. The Cultural Pearls network ensures visibility and provides opportunities for peer-learning with previous Pearls, as well as access to materials and online webinars. 

Showcased across the region, the BSR Cultural Pearls recipients highlight the power of community and culture. Both awardees and the other participating municipalities join the Cultural Pearls Network, gaining international exposure and continuing to enhance their community’s resilience.

For more information on open calls:

Contacts at the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia / in Finland

Pia Blomström, Regional Coordinator, Regional Council of Ostrobothnia
pia.blomstrom(at)obotnia.fi
+358 44 320 6668

Tarja Hautamäki, Cultural Director, Österbottens förbund
tarja.hautamaki(at)obotnia.fi
+358 44 723 5007

BSR Cultural Pearls Secretariat

Ministry of European Affairs of Land Schleswig-Holstein
Lena Backes
Lena.Backes(at)mllev.landsh.de
+49 431 988 9926

Executive Board Members

  • Ministry of European Affairs of Land Schleswig-Holstein (DE)
  • Council of the Baltic Sea States (SE)
  • Regional Council of Ostrobothnia (FI)
  • Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (LV)
  • Danish Cultural Institute (DK)
  • Vidzeme Planning Region (LV)
  • Baltic Sea Cultural Centre (PL)
  • ARS BALTICA (DE)

Find out more on BSR Cultural Pearl’s website:

https://culturalpearls.eu/

BSR Cultural Pearls on Social Media

The Cultural Pearls network and title were developed by the 2023-2025 project BSR Cultural Pearls, co-funded by Interreg BSR.