The power of connecting through skateboarding and public space.
What if skateboarding could help shape better cities?
Last spring, skateboarders – who first met at Connect Festival – from Bordeaux, Barcelona, Malmö, Rotterdam and Ghent came together for one week in Barcelona to connect, exchange knowledge, create, skate and share an important message with the city and its local community: skateboarding creates opportunities for youth, builds community and inspires better urban life.
Guillaume Clincke: “With Erasmus+, we not just share ideas. We have the opportunity to make them real.”
Supported by the Erasmus+ programme, this exchange brought together photographers, videographers, experienced activists, city architects and young learners from across Europe. More than a trip, it became an opportunity to learn about active citizenship and solidarity through the values and creativity that skateboarding culture can bring.
Marcos Lozano: “We are thankful the Barcelona council supported us to preserve the legacy of our Sants community.”
Organised by Belgium organization Hall of Skate Ghent and hosted by the Sants 4 Ever Barcelona community, the week balanced skate sessions exploring spots, guided visits, filming, shooting and conversations about how cities can support young people, diversity, and public life.
One of the highlights was the community event at the new Sants ledges spot. A skate session on the freshly installed granite ledges, connecting with locals, an interactive skatespot design workshop organized by Skate Design Club and a presentation on Barcelona’s future skate masterplan showed how skateboarding can help shape cities and bring communities together.
Leo Valls: “Councils need people who can help connect and mediate communities with them.”
Another memorable moment was the meeting with Barcelona’s architecture department to discuss how skateboarding and public space can contribute to more inclusive and vibrant cities. The conversations highlighted that building better cities is not only about designing infrastructure, but about creating opportunities for communities to participate and shape their environment.
As the pioneering work of Leo Valls in Bordeaux shows, people who connect city institutions and grassroots communities are essential. Through events, cultural projects, dialogue and co-design, they create bridges between different worlds, enabling communities to take ownership of their urban environment and helping cities develop more durable and inclusive public spaces.
But perhaps the most valuable moments happened in the streets.
The authentic hands-on street sessions, sharing filming techniques and skateboarding experiences, not only connected the group but also with the essence of where their passion and urban knowledge come from. From cruising through Barcelona’s streets to discovering hidden spots with locals and creating memories together, these organic skate missions reminded everyone why skateboarding is such a powerful tool for connection.
Gustav Eden: “We are actually building communities, not spots.”
That is the philosophy behind Connect: enhancing city life through the shared use of public space, creating opportunities for young people and building stronger communities through skateboarding.
Join us at Connect Festival in Bordeaux from September 24–27 and experience these ideas in person. Whether you’re a skater, creative, city official, organisation or simply curious about the future of cities: come skate, learn and connect.
Article by Guillaume Clincke & Photos by Grégoire Grange