Some projects end when the funding ends. Others continue to grow. Our recent visit from July 8th until July 12th 2026 to Lviv demonstrated what more than twelve years of international cultural cooperation can create: not simply a series of successful projects, but a vibrant community of cultural practitioners, educators and institutions that continue to shape Ukraine's future together.

The Cultural Transformation Lab Ukraine (CTL) was invited to contribute to the Conference of Ukrainian Studies "Ukraine in the World", one of the largest international gatherings dedicated to Ukrainian Studies. Organized by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Institute, the Ukrainian Catholic University, the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies and their partners, the conference brought together more than 200 participants from 38 countries to discuss Ukraine's cultural, academic and societal development.

As representatives of the Cultural Transformation Lab Ukraine, Dr. Patrick S. Föhl, Denys Vasyliev and Oleksandra Baklanova contributed to the panel discussion "Culture Under Pressure – How Ukraine Redefines Resilience and Transformation." Drawing on more than a decade of collaboration with cultural practitioners across Ukraine, the panel explored how culture strengthens resilience, enables transformation and supports long-term societal development – even under the most challenging circumstances. And it showcased what other countries can learn from Ukraine.

However, the most meaningful moments happened outside the conference rooms. Throughout the conference and outside in the city, we met former participants, trainers, alumni and partners from the Cultural Transformation Lab Ukraine and its predecessor programmes organized by the Goethe-Institut Ukraine and House of Europe. Many had returned to Lviv as speakers, researchers, cultural managers, artists or institutional leaders. Others simply wanted to reconnect. Again and again, conversations turned to the practical impact these programmes had on professional development, new collaborations and cultural initiatives across the country.

These encounters made one thing particularly clear: The greatest achievement of the Cultural Transformation Lab Ukraine and its predecessor programmes are not single projects – it is a network. A network built on trust rather than hierarchy. A network that has continued to grow despite war. A network that constantly generates new ideas, partnerships and forms of cultural leadership.

Most importantly, it reminded us that the Cultural Transformation Lab Ukraine has always been a collective endeavour. The experiences shared during the conference were not the work of a few individuals, but the result of hundreds of participants, trainers, partner organizations and institutions who have contributed their knowledge, creativity and commitment over many years. We simply had the privilege of representing this broader community in Lviv and sharing some of its stories.

The dialogue continued the following day at the Lviv National Academy of Arts, where Dr. Olesia Datsko, Professor of Art Management, invited Denys Vasyliev and Dr. Patrick S. Föhl to present the Masters of Interspaces approach. Building on the experiences of the Cultural Transformation Lab Ukraine, the lecture explored how cultural management education can prepare future leaders for complexity, transformation and international cooperation. The lively discussion with students, faculty members and cultural practitioners demonstrated a strong interest in collaborative, practice-based approaches to strengthening resilient cultural ecosystems.

Looking back, the visit to Lviv was far more than an opportunity to present results. It became a powerful reminder that meaningful (international) cooperation is measured not only by the activities it delivers, but by the people it connects, the trust it creates and the communities that continue to grow long after individual projects have ended. This is perhaps the most valuable legacy of more than twelve years of cooperation made possible by the Goethe-Institut Ukraine, House of Europe and many dedicated Ukrainian and international partners.

Group picture with Dr. Olesya Datsko (Professor of Arts Management at the Lviv National Academy of Art), Dr. Patrick S. Föhl and Denys Vasyliev (both Cultural Transformation Lab Ukraine) and students, faculty and guests at the Lviv National Academy of Art). © Picture: Lviv National Academy of Art.

© Foto: Natalia Vasyliev 

More info on the conference and poster etc. if needed