The programme for the first-ever World Summit on Arts and Culture to be held in Latin America – to be held at the Centro Cultural Estación Mapocho from 13 to 16 January 2014 – is now available online.

The organizers of the 6th World Summit on Arts and Culture, the National Council for Culture and the Arts, Chile (CNCA) and the International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies (IFACCA), are delighted that attendees of this global event will have the chance to participate in keynote sessions, general panels with experts, and various parallel sessions which address the main challenges and opportunities of the cultural sector in times defined by globalization, new channels of communication, and changes in social and economic development.

The discussion topic set for the 2014 World Summit rests on two main pillars -one for each day- as a way to tackle the global challenge: finding new models for cultural development. The Summit's first day will address the pillar concept of Critical Times: the permanent succession of rapid changes –many of which are socio-culturally unsettling- and which rearrange the presumptions and certainties on which traditional ideas of development are based. The concept Critical Times prepares us to answer one of the main questions that guide us for this Summit: During these critical times, what role does culture play in development?

The second day will focus on the second pillar concept, Creative Spaces, as a way to present and exchange different models of cultural development. Various conceptual changes related to the idea of development shall be reviewed and discussed, as a way to show the growing importance of art- and culture-related topics in current transformations. The idea is to expand our perspectives to new creative spaces for culture, as a way to stimulate innovation, entrepreneurship and development. 

The third and last day will provide the opportunity to look to the future and ask ourselves – where we are going? There is no doubt that culture is a key element for sustainable development. Nevertheless, should this be considered a goal for our millennium? During this day, discussions and observations will be made on the future of cultural policies and the challenges and opportunities to come in the ever-changing cultural landscape.

For everyone who has been waiting for more details regarding the Summit, such as the names and allocations of the topics, activities and conferences of the event's three days, we are pleased to share the complete program of the 6th edition of the World Summit on Arts and Culture in the following link: http://www.artsummit.org/programme/programme-description/