- THE UNESCO CREATIVE CITIES NETWORK
Creativity in service of the worldIn 2004, UNESCO made a decision that would reshape the global cultural landscape: establishing a network of cities that recognize creativity as a strategic driver of development—not merely as a cultural adornment, but as an economic, social, and environmental catalyst. Today, more than 350 cities across over 100 countries belong to this network. Llíria has been a member since 2019, standing out as one of its most distinguished benchmarks in the Music category.
- WHAT IS IT?
The UNESCO Creative
Cities Network
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) is an international cooperation platform bringing together cities worldwide that have positioned creativity and cultural industries at the core of their sustainable urban development.
Created in 2004, the network encompasses seven creative fields: music, literature, design, gastronomy, film, crafts and folk art, and media arts.
- THE NETWORK COVERS SEVEN CREATIVE FIELDS. PROMINENT CITIES IN EACH FIELD:
MUSIC
Llíria, Seville, Bogotá, Daegu, Glasgow, Vienna
LITERATURE
Granada, Barcelona, Dublin, Prague
DESIGN
Bilbao, Helsinki, Singapore, Riyadh, Daugavpils
GASTRONOMY
Dénia, Burgos, Modena, Matosinhos, Zaragoza
MEDIA ARTS
Enghien-les-Bains, New York, Malang
CRAFTS AND FOLK ART
Faenza, Limoges, Hebron, Sifnos, Sarchí
FILM
Bradford, Poitiers, Sydney, Giza, São Paulo
The Goals
of the Network
★ Foster international cooperation
Share best practices, build relationships with sister cities, and actively participate in the network’s global forums and meetings.
★ Integrate culture into urban development
Position culture not as an afterthought, but as a strategic pillar of local development plans, supported by real budgetary investment and dedicated institutional infrastructure.
★ Stimulate creativity and cultural industries
Strengthen the creation, production, distribution, and dissemination of cultural activities and services that drive employment and economic value.
★ Ensure universal access to culture
Pay special attention to vulnerable and marginalized groups, leveraging creativity as an instrument for social inclusion.
★ Innovate and experiment
Support creativity and innovation hubs while expanding opportunities for creators and cultural professionals.
- CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
Why Does Membership in This Network Matter?
For a city like Llíria, membership in the UNESCO Network is far more than an honorary title: it is a genuine catalyst for development. It brings international visibility across more than 100 countries, access to funding and European cultural cooperation initiatives, direct links to world-renowned music capitals, and the backing of the planet’s foremost cultural organization to justify and expand municipal cultural investment.
UNESCO Creative City of Music
Llíria City of Music
· Institutional and Cultural Portal
· Llíria City Council
