Dreaming Suburbs (2024–2026) is a two-year initiative positioned at the intersection of art, activism, and urban planning. The project responds to the need for art organisations to take a responsible role in the contexts they are immersed in, and investigates how art can be both a critical and generative force in shaping the future of cities.
Co-funded by the Creative Europe program of the EU, is a collaboration between Konsthall C (SWE), Konstfrämjandet Stockholm (SWE), the Museum of Impossible Forms (FI), and Til Vægs (DK), alongside the urban planning agency FEMMA Planning (FI). Emerging from a shared commitment to the neighborhoods they inhabit, these partners challenge the segregation policies that define contemporary urban life and seek to develop alternative models of engagement rooted in social and economic justice and environmental sustainability.
Dreaming Suburbs creates space for experimentation and exchange between artists, cultural practitioners, urbanists, architects, activists, policymakers, and residents through residencies, artistic interventions, and public programs. It challenges traditional urban renewal practices highlighting the urgency for urban developments to benefit and take care of all of its residents. The initiative bridges the gap between art, urban planning, and policy-making, fostering site-specific artistic projects that reflect local needs and aspirations.
Across the different platforms, Dreaming Suburbs will manifest in a seminar, exhibition, festival, and publication—inviting research, dialogue, and speculative proposals that reimagine the social and spatial dynamics of the city. By integrating artistic and curatorial strategies into urban development, this initiative moves beyond temporary interventions, working towards long-term, community-driven transformations.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
