What happens when we bring together designers, cultural producers, social innovators, and institutional stakeholders around a shared mission? In Sweden, we’ve already seen the first answers emerge. Through the Agents of Change project, driven by the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative, a powerful movement is unfolding – one grounded in collaboration, creativity, and the belief that real change starts with people.
This year, two key gatherings have taken place in Gothenburg that exemplify this mission: the “Breakfast for Change” focus group in April and a local stakeholder workshop in September. Together, they brought over 50 creatives and changemakers into dialogue about how to build more sustainable, inclusive, and beautiful societies.
Creative voices shaping the future
The focus group, represented by more than 20 professionals, students, and volunteers from across the creative and cultural sector came together in Gothenburg, Sweden in the spring. They represented a wide range of disciplines – from design and social innovation to craft and cultural entrepreneurship – but they shared one thing in common: a desire to drive positive change.
Through a mix of structured activities and informal dialogue, participants mapped societal challenges they face in their daily practice. These included the need for more inclusive representation, greater collaboration across sectors, and stronger cultural spaces for children’s well-being.
However, they did not stop with discussing challenges but also looked ahead to possible solutions: “The creative sector can’t just reflect the world as it is – we have to imagine the world as it could be,” said one participant.
Using different digital tools and storytelling prompts, participants co-created a list of over 40 key competences needed to address these issues – from systems thinking and ethical awareness to material innovation and intercultural dialogue.
The energy in the room was tangible. As one designer put it:
“It was inspiring to realise that the EU is truly investing in creative actors – not just as artists, but as changemakers.”
Building bridges with enablers
In September, the lens shifted from creatives to those who enable them. At a local Meet-up, 30 stakeholders from municipalities, cultural institutions, networks, and funding bodies came together to explore their role in supporting creative change.
The event was structured around key challenge areas identified by creatives earlier in the project. Participants explored how they – as enablers – could support systemic change across four key scenarios:
- Inclusion as norm
- Bridging “us and them”
- Creatives inspiring circularity
- Cultural spaces for children
In facilitated breakout groups, attendees shared experiences, needs, and ideas for how to unlock creative potential within their systems. The conversations were honest and forward-thinking.
One participant reflected:
“We often work in silos – but this was a rare opportunity to hear directly from other parts of the system. We all want the same thing: real, sustainable transformation.”
Participants confirmed the relevance of the NEB Competence Framework and provided feedback to make it more accessible and user-friendly – including creating a short visual version for wider use.
What we’ve learned so far
Across both gatherings, three things became clear:
- Creativity is a powerful driver of systemic change.
Participants across both groups recognised that creative minds can reframe challenges, generate new narratives, and build bridges between sectors. - Collaboration is not a bonus – it’s essential.
The biggest changes happen when creatives, institutions, funders, and communities work together. Several participants called for long-term platforms to continue the collaboration beyond the project timeline. - Inner transformation matters too.
Alongside technical skills, participants highlighted the need for courage, empathy, and resilience – human qualities that make lasting change possible.
Next steps – and an invitation
In the coming months, the input gathered will inform the next version of the NEB Competence Framework and support the creation of the NEB Challenge Map, helping local and international actors navigate complex societal needs through creativity.
We will also invite participants to take part in local Living Labs in 2026, where they will test new tools and methods developed in the project.
“What makes Agents of Change so promising,” said one stakeholder, “is that we are building something together – not just for creatives, but with them.”
Because real change doesn’t come from a single idea or actor. It comes from collective imagination, grounded in shared values and real-world challenges. We are stronger together. And through collaboration in projects like Agents of Change, we can take steps – from local, to national, to European level – toward a future that is not only more sustainable and inclusive, but more beautiful too.
Written by Drivhuset Gothenburg, Sweden