Community-Led Innovation: Lessons from VEB2023, European Capital of Culture Programme

Abstract

The "Microgrant" funding scheme launched under the Veszprém-Balaton2023 aimed to ignite creativity and innovation within local communities, businesses, and organizations in Veszprém and the Balaton region, as part of the European Capital of Culture initiative. Facilitated by the Veszprém-Balaton Region Public Foundation for Culture 2022-2023, this initiative utilized a unique four-round framework wherein community-driven projects ranging from community gardens to cultural exhibitions were presented and evaluated through a community decision-making process. Utilizing a cooperative board game format, the community decision-making process ensured diverse perspectives were considered, fostering consensus among jury members. The Microgrant project, with a funding pool of HUF 350,000 (approx. EUR 915), sought to empower local communities by supporting small-scaled projects all year round. These projects not only enriched the local cultural landscape but also fostered community cohesion and engagement. The research methodology approached the issue of social innovation from several angles. Structured interviews were conducted with VEB2023 staff (7 people) to map the application process and the community decision-making process, a questionnaire survey measured the opinions of jury members involved in community decision-making (64 people), and spatial and thematic characteristics were used to examine the 241 winning mini-proposals. The paper delves into the practical implementation of community decision-making process, focusing on innovation, sustainability and adaptability. Beyond economic considerations, these initiatives have indirectly contributed to enhancing the subjective quality of life, diversifying the cultural offerings of the Lake Balaton region, and shaping the attitudes of residents towards community involvement and cultural preservation. Based on the outcomes, new inquiries arise: How can we leverage community decision-making, a methodology closely intertwined with the social dimension of sustainability, in forthcoming initiatives? How might this approach be flexibly adapted to various settlement and spatial development blueprints? And what are the key attributes that describe the potential of small-scaled communities?