Here's a question we rarely ask in city planning meetings: “What does this place sound like at night?”

We ask, "Where are the access points and parking?"

We ask, "How will traffic flow?"

But what happens after the cars leave, the shops close, and the sun sets?

What's the rhythm of the place when no one's watching?

And does anyone even stay to hear it?

Because cities aren't just made of roads, pipes, and retail.

They're made of rhythm.

Of meaning.

Of things that stir the heart and make you feel, "I could belong here."

Culture is how we build that feeling.

No, not with occasional murals or weekend events, but with intention.

In my last piece, I made the case for cultural infrastructure as essential city planning.

But let's be honest, naming its value is just step one.

Now we need to ask: “What comes next?”

In this follow-up, I'm not trying to convince anyone that culture matters.

I want to talk about how to make sure it lasts.

Because the truth is, we've become good at the temporary.

We know how to "host."

How to "activate."

How to "pop up."

But do we know how to stay?

Let's talk about it.

Cultural Infrastructure Needs Roots, Not Just Wings

Pop-ups are lovely.

Murals are memorable.

Street festivals draw a crowd.

But if we want culture to shape neighbourhoods, to truly embed, we need long-term mechanisms that move beyond events.

That means moving:

…from borrowed spaces to permanent homes.

…from project-based funding to structural support.

…from isolated programmes to city-wide frameworks.

A thriving cultural ecosystem isn't seasonal. It lives in the off-season, too.

It supports not only events, but also everyday life.

It's the open rehearsal room that welcomes teenagers after school. The co-managed venue that becomes a weekend marketplace. The artist studio that doesn't rely on short-term lease deals.

These places are not decorative, they're functional. They serve community, connection, and continuity.

From Visibility to Viability

In many cities, artists and creatives are invited to offer visibility.

But few are offered viability.

What do I mean by that?

Viability means stability.

A place to work, a timeline longer than a festival season, and a seat at the table when decisions are made. It means moving from being performers at the party to co-authors of the place.

It's time we flipped that script.

Cultural strategies must include:

-      Access to affordable, long-term space

-      Inclusion in early-stage urban planning processes

-      Ownership models or co-managed venues

-      Cultural policies that go beyond the arts office and sit at the centre of development plans

Because visibility without viability is just windowdressing, and when creatives leave,  squeezed out by rent, or burnt out by hustle, the neighbourhood loses more than murals.

It loses identity.

Case in Point: From Medellín to Malmö

Take Medellín's Library Parks, not just beautifully designed buildings, but permanent, accessible public spaces builtin some of the city's most marginalised areas. They became cultural anchors that helped rewrite the narrative of entire districts.

Or look to Malmö's Garaget, a community space that merges library, culture house, café, and learning lab, co-created with residents and still evolving years later.

No one's popping up. They're rooted in place.

These aren't projects. They're promises.

And the effects?

Better community health, stronger youth participation, more foot traffic, safer public spaces, and a sense of pride that spills beyond the building.

Developers, This Includes You

Here's where it gets interesting.

Permanent cultural infrastructure isn't just good for the community.

It's good for business.

Strategic investment in culture creates stickiness. Places where people linger. Spend. Return. Talk about.

That means more value per square metre, not just for housing, but for retail, public life, and long-term development resilience.

In fact, the cultural layer often determines whether a place becomes a destination or just a through-route.

Want a vibrant mixed-use district?

Start with something worth mixing around.

Involve artists from the first sketch, not the final render.

Give space to voices beyond the boardroom.

Invest not just in what the place will look like, but how it will feel.

What It Takes to Stay

Here's what every city, every planner, every developer, and every cultural lead should be asking:

-      What will still be here in five years?

-      Who has the keys, literally and figuratively?

-      What happens after the funding cycle ends?

-      Who's part of the long game?

We don't need more invitations. We need co-ownership.

Because real cultural infrastructure doesn't just fill a calendar, it fills a gap in how we relate to place.

It becomes the heartbeat that makes people stay, not just visit.

It's the difference between a square and a gathering place.

Between a building and a home.

Let's Wrap This Up

We've spent years learning how to "animate" places.

It's time to learn how to anchor them.

Culture doesn't thrive when it's occasional, outsourced, or ornamental.

It thrives when it's embedded, trusted, and long-term.

This is not about art as decoration.

This is about culture as commitment.

Because in the end, it's not the launch event that makes a city liveable.

It's what stays when the banners come down.

So if you care about belonging, start by building for it.

Not just for the weekend. But for the future.

Lots of love,

Stina

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