INTRODUCTION

Communities around the world are facing radical social, environmental, political, and economic disruption, while confronting complex challenges that range from the COVID-19 pandemic to structural inequity and racism, outdated systems of education and work, and climate change.

Shaping a creative, just and sustainable world calls for action at all levels and collaboration across many sectors. We need bold ideas and innovation to build a more vibrant and resilient arts sector that can advance inclusive economic development, positive social change, and urban transformation for livable cities. The cultural sector is essential to regenerate and energize societies, but artists and creative innovators have never been in a more precarious situation. This is especially true of members of the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators (YCI Forum), many of whom have been severely impacted by lost income as a result of venue closures and cancelled work due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Against this stark background, the YCI Forum sought to connect, empower and support rising talents in the creative sector. Early in the pandemic, recognizing the significant challenges faced by existing members of the YCI network, Salzburg Global transitioned a number of small grants to members of the YCI Forum network from international travel support to emergency relief funds to help artists get through the immediate challenges around meeting their basic needs during the pandemic.

The first round of events to connect the YCI Forum came in April and May when, rather than convening in Baltimore and Minneapolis for the annual US Regional Events, the YCIs based in the cities of Baltimore, Detroit, Memphis, New Orleans, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography, met online while most of them were subject to local lockdown regulations. In addition to recognizing the continued value of culture and art and the togetherness those provide during this global period of uncertainty, both of these short online programs highlighted the importance of maintaining connections in periods of isolation and of ensuring we “keep the humanity” when convening in the digital rather than physical space.

It was with this thirst for connection, energy and inspiration that the latest YCI cohort came together over the course of the 10-day virtual program in October 2020.