The conference is a part of the rethink Conferences organised by rethinkIMPACTS 2017 and Aarhus 2017 as a part of the European Capital of Culture programme.

Previous conferences has shed light on two Aarhus 2017-values: In 2013 the conference Rethink Participatory Cultural Citizenship focussed on democracy and RE-DO in 2015 focused on sustainability and culture’s role in sustainable futures.

At the same time the conference is the annual UNeECC Conference.

The University Network of the European Capitals of Culture (UNeECC), an international non-profit association, was founded in Pécs Hungary in December 2006, by 15 founding members. The creation of UNeECC originates from the idea that it would be useful for Universities and establishments of Higher Education based in European Capitals of Culture to use this well-known and prestigious European institution to stimulate new forms of academic and educational institutional collaboration.