The European project IN SITU is launching a new podcast series, IN SITU Dialogues: Place-based creativity from the ground up, inviting listeners on a journey into the vibrant world of cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in non-urban Europe. The series highlights how local creativity drives innovation, community building, and sustainable development in places often overlooked in mainstream cultural narratives.

To kick off the series, host Maria Batle speaks with IN SITU coordinators Nancy Duxbury and Mark Rainey about the heart of the IN SITU project. Together, they set the stage for the conversations ahead by exploring the project’s aims and the role of the IN SITU Labs in supporting creativity in non-urban regions. The discussion underlines why CCIs in these areas deserve more attention, what is unique about working outside major cities, and how local creativity can spark new forms of innovation and community development. It is a dialogue about rethinking where culture happens – and why place truly matters.

From remote villages to small towns, IN SITU Dialogues showcases the voices of creative practitioners and cultural actors working at the forefront of place-based development. Across 12 case studies in six European regions, the podcast offers an engaging mix of personal stories and practical insights, revealing how artists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders are shaping stronger, more resilient places through culture-based innovation.

The eight-episode series will run monthly from October 2025 through spring 2026, with each episode featuring multiple guests from the IN SITU case studies and covering topics ranging from cultural entrepreneurship and sustainability to local development and artistic experimentation.

IN SITU Dialogues is developed within the framework of IN SITU: Place-based innovation of cultural and creative industries in non-urban areas, a Horizon Europe-funded project in collaboration with RUC – Rádio Universidade de Coimbra.

You can find the first episode of the podcast on all major streaming platforms.