Douglas Road Independent Kieran McCarthy recently presented his report on the New European Bauhaus initiative to the European Committee of the Regions plenary in Brussels, to which he is a member. Kieran was tasked by the Committee to prepare a report on the initiative due to his interests in cultural heritage and climate action. 

The New European Bauhaus is based on a concept from one hundred years ago in Europe but has been modernised and is now a creative and interdisciplinary initiative across areas from architecture to housing the circular economy that connects the  European Green Deal programme to living spaces and experiences.

Cllr McCarthy in his report noted that the New European Bauhaus initiative is a key opportunity to harness the creative potential of regions and municipalities, provide jobs locally and create accepted and sustainable solutions. Kieran noted: “The European Commission must ensure that cities and regions are at the centre of the initiative and receive technical assistance and appropriate funding”.

The opinion proposes a New European Bauhaus Lab voucher scheme for 100 cities and regions to help them co-create, prototype and test the tools, solutions and policy actions that will facilitate transformation on the ground.

Kieran concluded: “I believe that the New European Bauhaus must become a real movement, which involves local and regional authorities and is not just another top-down project. It must be a project for everyone, not just the few. To be successful, this exercise must be socially, culturally and territorially inclusive”.

Read more here: New European Bauhaus: Voucher scheme planned to support cities and regions (europa.eu)