The Cultural Table: How arts and culture can drive global change and collaboration

Conversations matter, now more than ever.

As the world becomes increasingly complex and interwoven with challenges, from climate change and global inequality to social fragmentation, these conversations should provoke thought, illuminate the world through the eyes of others and reveal possible pathways for reconciliation and healing.

This is the context in which the Cultural Table – an initiative launched by Arts and Culture at the World Economic Forum – emerges as a catalytic space for reimagining the future through the transformative power of the arts and culture.

The arts hold a pivotal role in addressing global challenges, offering unique ways to connect people across divides and foster empathy and understanding.

By enabling audiences to step into the shoes of others, art provides a powerful lens through which history can be brought to life, opinions can be influenced and marginalized voices can be amplified.

In doing so, the arts not only reflect the human experience but also challenge the status quo, sparking thought, emotion, engagement and even action.

In this way, art serves as a catalyst for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, raising awareness, inspiring collective action, shaping culture, and driving community impact.

Art and culture are, therefore, not merely ornamental; they are instrumental in designing a more inclusive, sustainable and emotionally intelligent world. Those who create, share and nurture the arts hold significant power to direct the winds of change and help design a future rooted in empathy, equity and shared humanity.

The Cultural Table builds on the role of arts and culture on the international stage. Its mission is clear: to bridge business and culture, sparking collaborations that push boundaries, challenge convention and unlock creative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.

At its core, the Cultural Table envisions a future where culture is not siloed from economic and political decision-making but is central to it – a vital force in shaping policy, innovation and human connection.

The initiative’s vision is grounded in three principles:

By convening diverse voices, including indigenous leaders, Grammy-winning musicians, business leaders, tech innovators and climate activists, the Cultural Table creates a platform where dialogue transcends disciplines and solutions emerge through shared purpose.

The inaugural Cultural Table launched in New York City alongside the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Sustainable Development Impact Meeting.

Themed “Sustainability Through a Cultural Lens”, it featured pioneering voices such as Refik Anadol, whose data-driven art redefines machine intelligence and Cameron Saul, creative force behind TOGETHERBAND, along with a powerful musical performance by Jordanian vocalist Farah Siraj.

It marked the beginning of a series of events that have since taken root in Davos, London, New York and Paris.

Cultural Tables are uniquely curated events, each centred around a distinct theme. To date these have included “Art Can Change the World,” “Trust Me, I Am an Artist” and “Artists to the Rescue.” These gatherings explore the intersection of art, innovation and social responsibility.

Each Cultural Table takes the form of a seated dinner featuring moderated discussions, brief presentations or provocations from cultural leaders and subject-matter experts, followed by open conversation with all participants.

Diverse cultural leaders have attended including: Chief Nixiwaka Yawanawá, Indigenous leader and environmental activist; Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Oscar winning filmmaker and journalist; Misty Copeland, ballet dancer and advocate for equity; Nile Rodgers, musician, producer and songwriter; Melanie Brown (also known as Mel B), singer, actress and advocate for domestic violence; Pierre Paslier, co-founder and co-CEO of Notpla; Tom Daley, Olympic diver and LGBTQ+ advocate; Renée Fleming, opera singer; Jude Kelly, founder and CEO of the WOW Foundation; Sougwen Chung, artist and researcher; Cristina Mittermeier, maarine biologist an conservation photographer; Tamara Rojo, artistic director and advocate for inclusivity; Benjamin Von Wong, visual artist and environmental activist.

All of these participants have shared deeply personal stories of courage and innovation, reminding us that art isn’t just expression but also resistance, restoration and revolution.

The Cultural Table aims to distinguish itself through its interdisciplinary and curatorial depth. Rather than a typical conference or panel, each session is a designed experience, where speakers are storytellers and attendees are participants in a shared journey of insight and transformation.

It seeks to act as a space of trust, where real conversations unfold, not around corporate agendas but around human truths. It fosters high-level relationships between sectors that often don’t speak the same language, such as business and the arts, culture and policy, and technology and philosophy.

Most importantly, it builds a global community of action, people who don’t just talk about change but who use their platforms, resources and influence to make it happen.

As polarization, automation and ecological crisis dominate today’s world, the Cultural Table shows what’s possible when creativity leads. Each Cultural Table is a call to action, demonstrating that the cultural sector is not merely peripheral to global development but a fundamental contributor.

Looking ahead, the Cultural Table seeks to build on its potential to become a strategic think tank, a creative catalyst and a coalition of changemakers operating at the highest levels of influence.

Art can change individuals and individuals can change the world. The Cultural Table reminds us that when culture becomes strategy and connection becomes action, the possibilities for change are limitless.