How can public spaces be transformed into places where people enjoy meeting, feel part of the community and can influence their surroundings? The answer lies in placemaking – an approach to urban development that puts people, their needs and their relationships at the centre. It is one of the key pillars of the Trenčín 2026 – European Capital of Culture project. From 2 to 4 November, the international event Placemaking Days Trenčín will also explore its significance, raising the question of how culture and public space can strengthen trust between people.
Placemaking: When a space becomes a place
Placemaking can be loosely translated as ‘the creation of places’. However, it is not merely about architecture, new benches, greenery or the aesthetic enhancement of public spaces. It is a way of thinking about the city based on the belief that high-quality public spaces are created in collaboration with the people who use them.
It is precisely this idea that underpins a significant part of the Trenčín 2026 programme. Here, culture is not merely a collection of events, but also a tool that helps to change the way residents use their city. Art can breathe new life into an underpass; a concert or a neighbourhood festival can reveal a street’s untapped potential; and shared community activities can strengthen people’s interest in their immediate surroundings.
“For us, placemaking means much more than simply beautifying public spaces. We want people to see their city in a different light, to discover new possibilities within it and to feel that they can be part of its transformation. Whether it’s an artistic intervention in an underpass or a new use for a street, what matters is that public spaces serve people better,” says Lívia Gažová, project manager for architecture and public space at Trenčín 2026.
Art also transforms the places we pass through every day
One example is the underpass beneath Generála Milana Rastislava Štefánika Street, connecting the railway and bus stations with the city centre. In March 2026, a light and textile installation reminiscent of clouds was created here, transforming the atmosphere of this busy transit space. The underpass beneath Hasičská Street has also been the site of an artistic intervention, where Austrian artist Oliver Ressler created the photographic installation *Out of the Underpass* to help us reclaim the sky.
Both projects demonstrate that art need not remain confined to the walls of galleries. It can be part of residents’ daily journeys and change the way they perceive even seemingly ordinary places. Revitalised pedestrian zones, squares and parks are also part of Trenčín’s wider transformation, creating better conditions for movement, relaxation and social life.
Lively neighbourhoods build stronger communities
However, placemaking is not just about streets and their physical transformation. Working with communities is equally important. The ‘Lively Neighbourhoods’ project is also based on this principle, supporting neighbourly relations and the active involvement of residents in the life of their local area.
A specific example is the ‘Lively Neighbourhoods Week’ held in September, which brought together residents in nine areas of Trenčín through community meetings and activities organised by the neighbours themselves. Over the course of more than two years, 38 neighbourhood meetings have already taken place as part of the project, demonstrating that even small joint activities can revitalise public spaces and strengthen relationships between people.
It is based on a simple idea: when people get to know one another, meet up and create something together, their connection to the place where they live is strengthened. People in active communities take a greater interest in their surroundings, look after them and come up with their own ideas for improving them.
“Strong neighbourhoods aren’t created simply by organising a programme for people. They emerge when people are given the space to come up with their own ideas and put them into practice together. Even a simple neighbourhood get-together can be the start of long-term collaboration and greater interest in the place where we live,” explains Hana Laššová, project manager for Trenčín 2026.
This is precisely where placemaking intersects with building trust. Trust is not built solely through large-scale projects or local authority decisions, but also through everyday encounters, shared activities and the experience that residents can genuinely influence their environment.
How does trust grow? An international conference will provide the answers
Trenčín’s own experience of revitalising public spaces and engaging communities will be one of the starting points for the international event ‘Placemaking Days Trenčín: How Trust Grows’, which will take place from 2 to 4 November 2026. The event is being organised by Trenčín 2026 in collaboration with the international organisation Placemaking Europe.
It will bring experts in public space design, cultural professionals, and representatives of towns and communities to Trenčín to work together to find answers to the question of how high-quality public spaces, culture and the active involvement of residents can strengthen relationships between people and build trust within the town.
The programme will feature inspiring presentations, interactive workshops, guided tours, networking and opportunities to exchange experiences. Part of the programme will be specially designed for representatives of local authorities from the Trenčín Region. Trenčín will thus not only host an international conference, but also serve as a venue where participants can discover concrete examples of work with public spaces and communities.
The event will also raise the question of what remains after a year as European Capital of Culture. It is precisely these new relationships, active communities and public spaces that people actually use that may be among its most important long-term outcomes.
Further information about the conference: www.trencin2026.eu/podujatie/konferencia-o-placemakingu
Trenčín 2026 is financially supported by the City of Trenčín, the Trenčín Self-Governing Region and the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. The European Union is a partner of Trenčín 2026.
