IAAC is proud to be among the EIT Culture & Creativity partners and beneficiaries that co-designed the program for the South-West Open Day 2026, hosted by the EIT Culture & Creativity South-West Regional Hub on 18 June 2026 at Barcelona XRLab – Palo Alto, bringing together creators, researchers, entrepreneurs, companies, and public institutions to strengthen a shared ecosystem for cultural and creative innovation.
The 2026 South-West Open Day takes place during Sónar Week and the +RAIN Film Festival, offering a timely opportunity for the region’s creative community to connect, exchange ideas, showcase ongoing projects, and explore future collaboration and funding opportunities.
Barcelona itself plays a central role in this year’s gathering. As UNESCO World Architecture Capital 2026, the city is at the center of a global conversation on design, sustainability, innovation, and the future of the built environment – an ambition reflected throughout the program.
Co-designed with partners and beneficiaries from across the region, the event is structured around three strategic pillars shaping Europe’s creative future:
- Sustainable Architecture and Innovation
- EU Cultural Sovereignty and Digital Services
- AI Opportunities and Challenges for the Audiovisual, Media, and Music Sectors
Through panels, fireside chats, project presentations, exhibitions, and networking sessions, participants will share ongoing initiatives, best practices, and opportunities for collaboration. A dedicated exhibition area will also showcase projects and innovations developed across the South-West region.
Programme
IAAC’s Contribution
As part of the programme, Daniel Ibáñez, Director of IAAC, will participate in the panel “Innovation & Sustainable Architecture”, contributing to the discussion on how architecture, innovation, and sustainability can drive the transformation of cities and territories across Europe.
Jessica Guy, Distributed Design Lead at IAAC-Fab Lab Barcelona and Project Manager & Principal Investigator of RED-Pro, has been invited to participate in the panel “Coming Opportunities in Horizon Europe for Partners and Ecosystem”.
During the session, she will present as business case the AAC New Horizon Europe: RED-Pro – Regenerative Ecologies of Design & Production for European Heritage (RED&Pro). The project demonstrates how Horizon Europe-funded initiatives can generate impact through innovation, cultural heritage preservation, and regenerative approaches to design and production.
(Project No. 101286792 / REA / HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-06)
Looking Ahead: Horizon Europe Opportunities
A key highlight of the Open Day will be the exploration of upcoming European funding opportunities. Participants will gain insights into EIT Culture & Creativity’s 2026 programmes and calls, spanning Education, Business Creation, Innovation, and Transformation, providing a clear overview of future opportunities and pathways for engagement.
IAAC and FECYT will also host a dedicated session on Horizon Europe funding opportunities, with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
As part of this session, IAAC has invited Adeline Marcos Talva, National Contact Point (NCP) for Cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society at the European Office Department of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), to present upcoming Horizon Europe calls within the panel “Coming Opportunities in Horizon Europe for Partners and Ecosystem”*.
The session will provide organizations, companies, researchers, and creative professionals with first-hand information on future funding opportunities, partnership development, and the European Commission’s strategic priorities under Horizon Europe.
Register via this online form to participate and discover the detailed agenda of the event!
About the panel
*This panel has been made possible through the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the State Research Agency (AEI) as part of the project GPE2024-001526, “Implementation of the IAAC Horizon Europe Strategy 2025–26”, funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/
