The Annual ENCATC Congress is the only global event dedicated to the advancement of theory, education, research and practice on cultural management and policy. Each year, it gathers academics, trainers and researchers from the cultural management and policy educational fields with cross-disciplinary interests, cultural professionals, policy makers, artists, and students.

ENCATC is dedicated to sharing, exchanging and reflecting on world-class research and trends is part of the network’s aim to strengthen the European research area and to build knowledge societies. So far, more than 435 researchers and educators from around the world have benefited to use this international platform to present their work and gain feed-back from peers. Many have gone on to publish their research in ENCATC’s scientific publication, the European Journal of Cultural Management and Policy.

The Global Conversations are organised in the framework of ENCATC's Memorandums of Understanding with the Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE) and the Taiwan Association of Cultural Policy studies (TACPS) to offer an international platform for a global debate on education on cultural management and policy.

The awards ceremony, held annually as part of the ENCATC Congress, celebrates the winners of ENCATC recognitions to excellence in research and education: the ENCATC Research Award on Cultural Management and Policy, the ENCATC Congress Research Paper Award, the ENCATC Congress Teaching and Educational Practice Award, the Young and Emerging Researchers Forum Award, and the Best Student Paper Award.

This Award, previously known as Fellowship Award, gives public recognition to an individual, group of people, or an institution that has demonstrated a significant (and consistent) contribution to the field of cultural management and/or cultural policy over a longer period of time.

ENCATC Academy was designed for the first time in 2012 to prepare academics, researchers, practitioners, policy makers, artists and students to deal with challenges in cultural relations and diplomacy. It is meant to offer an intense learning experience with a mixed methodology including lectures and seminars and enhance with experts from the field.

The ENCATC Study Tours aim to immerse participants in different cultural contexts, enabling hands-on learning, cross-cultural dialogue, and networking opportunities.

The Young and Emerging Researchers' Forum is designed for a new generation of young and emerging researchers entering into the cultural policy and cultural management field to help them advance in their careers and enlarge their networks in Europe and beyond.

Initiated in 2025, the ENCATC Art Talks connect artists, art-market professionals, cultural managers, researchers and policymakers in dialogue on emerging trends and challenges affecting the cultural and creative sectors. Held alongside major international art fairs, including BRAFA, Art Brussels and TEFAF, or as part of the ENCATC Cultural Happy Hours, they explore artistic practice, market developments, professional conditions and the wider public value of culture. In line with EU policy priorities on the working conditions, skills development and mobility of artists and cultural professionals, the Talks foster informed cross-sectoral exchange and relationships that can lead to more responsible practices, professional opportunities and cooperation across the cultural ecosystem.

Established in April 2020, the ENCATC Think Tank is a cross-sectoral and transnational platform that brings together representatives from EU cultural networks and European and international institutions, as well as cultural professionals, academics, and researchers. Functioning at the intersection of research, policy and practice, it aims to produce evidence-based outputs designed to inform and support multi-level policy development, from local to European and international levels. By encouraging strategic knowledge exchange among networks and researchers, the ENCATC Think Tank promotes innovation through shared data, common indicators, and joint research methodologies.

Launched in 2025, the ENCATC Research Platform brings together emerging and established researchers in cultural management and cultural policy to strengthen international research cooperation and the exchange of policy-relevant knowledge. Through online peer-learning sessions and an in-person gathering at the ENCATC Congress, participants address scholarly publishing, research dissemination and comparative perspectives, while building professional connections across disciplines and borders. Reflecting ENCATC’s priority of Research for Culture, the Platform helps researchers increase the visibility and uptake of their findings and equips the cultural policy community with stronger evidence to inform decisions and innovation.

Launched in 2025, the ENCATC Working Group on Culture and Education connects higher education institutions, educators, cultural managers and policy stakeholders to advance the quality, relevance and internationalisation of cultural management and policy education. Through online exchange and in-person collaboration, it addresses inclusive curricula, evolving professional competences, innovative approaches to creative project management and graduate employability, while co-developing practical guidance for internationalisation. In line with EU policy priorities on skills development, inclusive education and transnational cultural cooperation, the Group helps education providers strengthen their programmes and prepare graduates to contribute effectively to a changing cultural and creative sector.

Launched in 2021 by ENCATC and the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), Virtual Crossovers supports emerging arts and cultural journalists from Asia and Europe through mentorship, intercultural exchange and practice-based learning. Developed from an e-residency into the Arts Journalism Matters Fellowship, it builds the capacity of early-career journalists to report critically on cultural management, cultural policy and cultural diplomacy, while engaging with perspectives from both regions. Reflecting EU policy priorities on cultural diversity, democratic participation, media literacy and cross-border knowledge exchange, the initiative strengthens independent cultural storytelling, contributes to media literacy and brings more nuanced cultural perspectives into public debate.

During the ENCATC General Assembly in Lecce, Italy (October 2015), the ENCATC Board decided to support and promote the development of scientific seminars, events and workshopsorganised by its members in the various regional areas. Thus, ENCATC will co-brand and ensure labelling of selected events, carefully chosen on a case by case basis, upon requests made by the organizers. This labelling must obey some basic rules. More info: http://www.encatc.org/en/projects/encatc-labelling-policy/

Every year, ENCATC engages in a policy debate with the aim of identifying new business models, innovative funding schemes and investment practices in the cultural and creative sector. ENCATC members, academics, researchers, cultural operators, policy makers, economics experts and students are invited to attend.

The ENCATC Talks were launched on 8 May 2020 at the initiative of ENCATC Member Avril Joffe from the University of the Witwatersrand. This project aims to offer the cultural management and policy community a virtual space to exchange practice, methodology, ideas and projects proposals.