Over 300 eminent academics, policy-makers, artists and students from over 36 countries have already confirmed their registration for ENCATC’s 2011 Annual Conference “CultureForecast”, which will take place in Helsinki, Finland, on 12-14 October 2011. Set to become a milestone event in the debate about future trends and developments in the culture and education sector, this important event will put the spotlight on three themes that have recently been focal points in arts and cultural management and which will determine future developments in the cultural field: Culture and the City, New Audiences and Networking. Through substantiated research and innovative presentations, keynote speakers and cultural experts Dr Saara Taalas, Dr Katri Halonen and Dr Lidia Varbanova will predict the future of the cultural management sector, by providing insight into a wide range of imminent questions: What new forms of creative organization will succeed in the future and who will participate? How will cultural production evolve in line with the changing role of artists, consumers and production work? Will monopolization, marketization, formatization and privatization take the lead on the cultural scene? What is the future of our cultural networks in Europe and beyond and how can they balance their not-for-profit purpose with an effort to become more innovative, entrepreneurial and sustainable? Structured around interactive and innovative working sessions, ENCATC’s 2011 Annual Conference will provide participants with the opportunity to put into practice the newly developed “cooperative working” training method. Following last year’s success, this Annual Conference will also include ENCATC’s 2nd Annual Research Session ideal platform for researchers to interact and strengthen their research knowledge about new and upcoming research currently being conducted in cultural management. In order to immerse the strongly international audience into the Finnish experience and with the aim of supporting the local artists, an evening of cultural events during the ENCATC 2011 Annual Conference will introduce the conference participants to Europe’s northernmost and the Nordic countries’ only officially indigenous people, the Sami. In addition, study visits of six cultural organisations across the Finnish capital will equip participants with ideas of new creative activities, projects, or businesses which have succeeded in Helsinki as sources of inspiration. Highlights of the 2011 ENCATC Annual Conference will also include the 5th Young Cultural Policy Researchers Forum and the 8th Cultural Policy Research Award Ceremony. The CPRA and the YCPR Forum are part of a programme package initiated by the European Cultural Foundation and managed by ENCATC in support of young cultural policy researchers. Organised by ENCATC in close cooperation with five Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (HUMAK, Metropolia, Novia, Mikkeli and Seinäjoki), this outstanding conference will be held at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Along with these, other organisations taking part in making this all happen are: Cupore Foundation for Cultural Policy Research, TAKU Art and Culture Professionals Trade Union and To Culture With Love. Related links: • Updates on ENCATC Annual Conference • CPRA website • YCPR Forum website • Online Forum website