This story is part of our Stories of Impact series, spotlighting our Fellows who, through socially engaged arts, work with communities across Europe to confront the past, respond to present challenges, and co-create futures grounded in care, solidarity, and collective thriving. Here, Esteban reflects on the role of art and collaboration in transforming local metropolitan areas for the better.

A group of activists, local non-profits, and I began advocating for community and urban art as a way of transforming our neighbourhood in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.  Between 2009 and 2017, this evolved into urban art projects focused on empowering communities to transform their public spaces through creativity, resulting in dozens of artworks and murals on the outskirts of Barcelona.

But at a certain point, we felt our work wasn’t able to address more complex problems, confined as it was to specific projects with limited durations. This led us to create Contorno Urbano Foundation in 2017, expanding our approach to include urban regeneration, architecture, prototyping, and artistic residencies—where urban art became just one element within a broader methodology for working in highly complex neighbourhoods.

We believe everyone has the right to play an active role in the socio-cultural life of their neighbourhood. That’s why we support co-creation and cultural democracy—so people can access, create and shape culture, and take part in designing, caring for and enjoying the spaces they live in.

Our flagship project began with the cleanup of a plot of land being used as a dump, which then became a participatory process to determine the ways we could use the space in the future. The community designed, built, and now self-manages a 2,000m² park, garden, and cultural centre where they can continue to develop programmes for the good of the local area.

We’re now following the same process in five cities in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, tapping into a network of over 80 local agents: educational centers, neighbourhood associations, social, health, and educational non-profits, city councils, and more. We primarily work with vulnerable communities, aiming to benefit their mental and physical wellbeing, facilitate social cohesion, and elevate their cultural rights. We encourage every participant to engage as much or as little as they like, in whatever projects they choose.

We firmly believe in democratic processes, inclusion, and transparency as essential tools for guaranteeing the rule of law and imagining a better future. In a time of social and political uncertainty, initiatives like Contorno Urbano Foundation show what is possible when communities are empowered to shape their own environments. This demonstrates the value of socially engaged arts, and why I hope projects like this continue to gain recognition for the progress they can drive in communities, cities, and countries across Europe.

Explore more stories of socially engaged arts driving change across Europe. View the Stories of Impact map here.