CAST

Title: Culture as Agent for Socio-economic Transformation of Communities and Territories

Acronym: CAST

Funding: Danube Region Programme – Interreg 2021-2027

Lead Authority: Iskriva, Institute for Development of Local Potentials (Slovenia)

Duration: 36 months (April 2025 – March 2028)

Website: www.danube-region.eu 

Summary:

CAST is a transnational project addressing the underutilisation of cultural heritage as a driver for social inclusion and economic growth in the Danube region. It promotes a paradigm shift: from viewing culture as a static legacy to embracing it as a transformative force for resilient, thriving communities aligned with the EU’s green and just transition goals.

The project’s main objective is to foster social inclusion by leveraging culture to co-create inclusive services and sustainable tourism products. The CAST Model—a process-based framework—will be tested in 12 pilot sites across 10 countries, covering rural, suburban, multicultural and multi-religious communities.

Expected results include:

• Development and testing of the CAST Model;
  
• Action Plan 2027–2037 for an inclusive Danube region through culture, heritage and sustainable tourism;
  
• Participatory cultural interventions in pilot areas;
  
• Capacity building for over 330 public authorities and 220 private organisations;
  
• Direct engagement of 100,000 citizens through communication activities.
  

CAST ensures long-term sustainability by integrating ESG and NEB (New European Bauhaus) principles, and its action plan outlines political, institutional, and financial strategies for replicability and investment readiness.

URBASOFIA’s Involvement:

URBASOFIA participates in the CAST project as a strategic knowledge partner, bringing extensive expertise in integrated urban planning, cultural regeneration, and sustainable territorial development. Specifically, URBASOFIA is responsible for:

• Contributing to the CAST Training Academy under SO1:
  URBASOFIA supports the development of educational and methodological content for capacity-building sessions targeting professionals in culture, tourism, and urban planning. Through thematic workshops, training modules, and peer-learning sessions, it promotes the integration of NEB (New European Bauhaus) and ESG principles, along with participatory planning tools.
  
• Co-leading activities under SO2, particularly A2.4, which involves the development of investment plans for pilot sites in alignment with the CAST Model and ESG standards, in close cooperation with local partners and territorial stakeholders.
  
• Supporting the implementation of the pilot at Bánffy Castle (Romania), in collaboration with Transylvania Trust Foundation (TTF), by applying innovative approaches to cultural heritage valorisation and sustainable regeneration, with a strong focus on community engagement.
  
• Co-developing the Action Plan 2027–2037, together with ISKRIVA, TOV, Urban Cult, ANTRIM, MOME, and Collective, aiming to shape an integrated strategy for an inclusive Danube region based on culture, heritage, and sustainable tourism.
  
• Providing technical guidance on cultural accessibility, participatory planning, and the development of replicable methodologies for heritage valorisation in Romania and other partner contexts.
  
• Contributing to EU-level communication and capitalisation efforts (SO3):
  URBASOFIA supports the transfer of the CAST Model to other contexts through its extensive European networks and facilitates the integration of project results into local and regional policy instruments.
  
• Participating in the definition of impact indicators and the monitoring and evaluation of pilot interventions and the CAST Model itself:
  Through its analytical expertise, URBASOFIA contributes to measuring outcomes and assessing the scalability and adaptability of the solutions developed throughout the project.
  

With deep experience in urban innovation and European cooperation, URBASOFIA brings a strategic territorial perspective to the CAST project and plays a key role in ensuring the long-term transferability and relevance of the CAST Model.

Consortium:

Lead Partner
Iskriva, Institute for Development of Local Potentials (Slovenia)

Project Partners:

• URBASOFIA (Romania)
• Transylvania Trust Foundation – TTF (Romania)
• The Collective Foundation (Bulgaria)
  Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design – MOME (Hungary)
• NGO Urban Cult (Montenegro)
  Savaria Museum (Hungary)
• Tourism Organization of Vojvodina – TOV (Serbia)
• Koprivnica-Križevci County – KKZ (Croatia)
• ANTRIM (Moldova)
• Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe – IDM (Austria)
• Development Agency Zepce (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  

Associated Strategic Partners:
Municipalities and cultural institutions from 12 Danube countries.