Urban Workshop is an annual participatory initiative that brings together residents, local authorities, civic organizations, and businesses to co-create better urban environments in Lviv. Since its inception in 2012, the initiative has grown into a dynamic platform for dialogue, experimentation, and collaborative transformation of public spaces.
The main goal of Urban Workshop is to promote citizen participation in urban development, with a strong focus on inclusivity, sustainability, and community resilience. Each year, the program tackles key urban challenges—ranging from mobility, heritage preservation, and ecology to energy efficiency, waste management, and integration of internally displaced people (IDPs). Activities range from workshops, lectures, public discussions, games, art performances, and clean-up events to participatory planning, urban experiments, and greening projects. Through this, the Urban Workshop fosters a culture of shared responsibility and long-term thinking in city-making.
Over the past 13 years, Urban Workshop has become a major urban movement in Lviv:
30,000+ people have taken part in events;
50+ public spaces have been co-created;
600+ grassroots projects have been implemented;
190+ local partners have contributed to the initiative;
15+ policy documents shaped through public dialogue are now being implemented.
Urban Workshop has adapted over time to meet emerging needs. In 2020, the event went hybrid due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, it supported the integration of new residents fleeing war, and in 2024 it broke records by co-creating 8 new public spaces and engaging 1,600 participants, 80% of whom were newcomers to the format.
Led by the City Institute and supported by the Lviv City Council, Urban Workshop has also contributed to policy development and urban governance. It is a living example of how cities can be reimagined—bottom-up, collectively, and sustainably
Project Lead: Yaryna Kasprivska
Contact Email: yaryna.kasprivska@city-institute.org