In April 2012 seven cities of Ukraine start cultural mapping within the framework of Ukrainian Cultural Network development. Cultural mapping processes will be jointly led by local cultural institutions and Departments of Culture in Luhansk, Melitopol, Donetsk, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Kherson and Lutsk.

Active involvement of local communities is envisaged by organizers of the project.

On the cultural mapping eve, the representatives of different cities participated in Cultural Planning workshops, conducted under the initiative of Ukrainian Cultural Network development. Preparation of cultural maps will be the first stage towards strategic cultural planning for the cities.

Organizations who are the winners of the mini-grants, have had an opportunity to attend several meetings with well-known British coach Phil Wood. Further, they will be advised on the process by the Centre for Cultural Management, who designed and realized a cultural map of Lviv in 2008, and by Linda Knudsen McAusland (U.S. Peace Corps volunteer).

The process of cultural mapping incorporates analysis and identification of resources, definition of basic needs in a city and directions of culture development, creation of database of cultural assets of the city. Cultural planning is new for Ukraine, because it will involve not only specialists in the field of culture or strategies, but also all interested in the development of culture: both creators and consumers, investors and developers. It is the cultural mapping that being the first stage of cultural planning provides an opportunity to learn about cultural feature of the city, to cover most of the cultural needs and to respond to the requests of the community.

Cultural mapping is funded by the European Cultural Foundation and its organizational support is rendered by the Centre for Cultural Management. You can keep up with information about the cultural mapping process in seven cities on the website of the Ukrainian Cultural Network.

Photo from nzculturalgenealogymapping