When: May 14, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (CET)
Where: Justus Lipsiuszaal, Erasmushuis or online
Register here.
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About the event
On May 14, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (CET), the Faculty of Arts at KU Leuven will host a lecture by cultural theorist Professor Justin O’Connor, titled Culture is not an Industry: 1 Year On. The event will take place in the Justus Lipsiuszaal, Erasmushuis, and will also be accessible online.
In his lecture, Professor O’Connor will revisit the core arguments of his influential book Culture is not an Industry: Reclaiming art and culture for the common good (2024). He will critically examine the impact of the creative industries paradigm and advocate for a renewed understanding of culture as a vital public good.
About Professor Justin O’Connor
Justin O’Connor has been a leading voice in cultural policy and theory since the 1990s. His work critically engages with the concepts of the “creative city” and “cultural and creative industries,” beginning in Manchester and expanding across Europe, Russia, China, and Southeast Asia. A member of UNESCO’s Expert Facility on the 2005 Convention and a contributor to global cultural policy development, O’Connor has helped shape new agendas for culture at the United Nations. He is a respected academic, international advisor, and author dedicated to redefining cultural policy as central to a just and civilised society.
To register please fill out the online form.
The lecture is organized by the Faculty of Arts, KU Leuven, hosted by DigitGLAM, and presented in cooperation with the European Heritage Hub. A reception will follow the event.
