EUPeace is looking for expressions of interest for organising Creative Spaces on 30 September 2026 at the University of Calabria in Rende, Italy. The Creative Spaces present a complementary programme to the EUPeace Conference 2026. With this activity, the EUPeace Alliance aims at fostering open and transdisciplinary discussions of cutting-edge questions around the topics of peace, justice, and inclusive societies. With the aim to broaden the thematic discussions in the Research Hubs, the Creative Spaces present an imaginative framework for a more flexible and transdisciplinary exchange and involvement of different participants, including actors beyond academia. The Creative Spaces will hence provide participants with the opportunity to develop approaches and collaborations at the margins of the themes addressed. It will foster the cooperation between EUPeace Research Hubs, Doctoral Candidates, stakeholders from beyond academia and everyone interested in co-creating a shared future.

Key Information on the Creative Spaces

• Creative Spaces are in-person events that involve actors beyond academia (e.g. civil society actors).
• Creative Spaces can evolve out of EUPeace Research Hubs or EUPeace Work Package cooperation and address important topics of a strong societal relevance and/or related to teaching.
• Selected Creative Spaces will be supported in developing a creative room for exchange on their topics.
• Research Hub members, doctoral candidates and master students as well as societal actors are warmly invited to participate in the Creative Spaces.

Key Information on the Call

• Expressions of Interest for organising a Creative Space can be handed in by application teams that include at least:
  • one member of an EUPeace Research Hub;
  • or one member of the EUPeace Doctoral Network;
  • or one member of an EUPeace Work Package.If you have difficulties to identify a person in this regard, have a look at the website.
• Deadline for submitting Expressions of Interest: 19 April 2026
• At least one member of the organising team has the opportunity to participate in a training on design thinking techniques in order to support the creative character of the discussions
• We offer up to 2.000€ for organising a Creative Space which can be used for implementing the activity (e.g. funding travel costs, inviting external speakers, involving societal actors or organising a follow-up event for solidifying the cooperation, etc.).
• All Creative Spaces selected in this Call will take place on 30 September 2026 at the University of Calabria in Rende, Italy. The Creative Spaces present a complementary programme to the EUPeace Conference 2026.

How to create an Expression of Interest

Please share your expression of interest via the submission form below until 19 April 2026:

• Title of the Creative Space
• Abstract with a description of the Creative Space (max. 600 characters), including information on the following points:
  • Which topic will be addressed in the framework of the Creative Space?
  • Why is the topic of societal relevance?
  • How will actors beyond academia be involved in the Creative Space?
• Information on the didactic approach of how you want to ensure an open discussion (max. 600 characters)
• Personal information of the organising team, including all email-addresses

Selection process

The EUPeace Work Package 6 team that is responsible for organising the Creative Spaces will select up to three Creative Spaces out of the received expressions of interest. The selection will be based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of the topic for peace, justice, and inclusive societies
• Societal relevance of the topic
• Didactic approach for the discussion
• Involvement of actors beyond academia

Contact

For questions, please contact Melina Sadiković (melina.sadikovic@fpn.unsa.ba).