Representatives from the City of Boston participated in the 2025 World Cities Culture Summit held in Amsterdam from October 15th–17th. The annual summit is the flagship event of the World Cities Culture Forum, a global network of nearly 50 metropolitan cities that use culture as a driver for inclusive growth, creativity, and resilience.
Boston officially joined the World Cities Culture Forum earlier in 2025, becoming the sixth U.S. city in the network, the other United States members being New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Austin.
In remarks on social media, the City’s arts and culture office acknowledged the participation, stating:
“Thank you @seegreatart and @Forbes for shining a light on how arts & culture are driving Boston’s future. The key? Building culture and creativity into the foundation of how our city plans and grows. Honored that the @worldcitiesculture invited @cityofboston to become the 6th U.S. city to join this network … We returned home … inspired and energized by the collective work of our peers.”
The summit provided a platform for city officials and cultural policymakers from Boston to engage with counterparts from major global cities, including Paris, London, and Tokyo, within the Forum’s framework. Founded in 2012, the World Cities Culture Forum advances the idea that culture is a critical element of urban strategy, contributing to job creation, tourism, community cohesion, and public health.
For Boston, the participation signals a commitment to embedding culture within urban planning and civic policy. Recent initiatives by the city, such as expanding access to cultural space, investing in public art, and linking arts with education and innovation, align with the Forum’s values of creative city-making and inclusivity.
Looking ahead, Boston’s involvement in the Forum will include contributing to the annual World Cities Culture Report and collaborating on global research and policy efforts. Through these channels, the city aims to elevate its cultural infrastructure and amplify the work of its creative communities on an international stage.
