GCDN Annual Convening – Los Angeles 2025

As cities worldwide confront the accelerating challenges of climate change, resource scarcity, and environmental degradation, resilience has become a defining priority in urban development. While much of the focus is on infrastructure and policy, cultural and creative interventions offer powerful tools for shaping how communities adapt, persist, and reimagine their futures in the face of ecological uncertainty. This session explores the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban resilience, examining how cultural districts, artists, and civic initiatives worldwide are integrating ecological consciousness into the narratives of place. How can creative strategies help cities respond to climate pressures while strengthening social cohesion and local identity? What role can public art, conservation efforts, and cultural programming play in fostering sustainable urban ecosystems? And how can cultural leaders move beyond symbolic gestures to embed meaningful, action-driven climate commitments into the fabric of their work?