While much of urban development focuses on the spectacular, the newly built and the monumental, the CSAM Maintenance Awards turn attention to what already exists. The award celebrates Malmö’s everyday places and those who maintain them – environments and individuals that stand the test of time and are cared for with attention and continuity rather than demolished and replaced.
An evening dedicated to celebrating maintenance as an active act of sustainability, highlighting the city’s overlooked gems and recognizing the people and places that keep Malmö vibrant over time.
PROGRAM
17:00 Doors open
Mingling in the exhibition on Floor 2.
17:30 Conversation: Hail the Maintainers
Ten years after the publication of the influential essay Hail the Maintainers, which examines the downsides of the hype surrounding innovation, invited guests come together for an open discussion on management, maintenance and the future of land use.
18:00 Presentation of nominees
CSAM announces this year’s nominees for the CSAM Maintenance Awards 2026.
ABOUT CSAM
CSAM is an independent cultural think tank founded by Victoria Percovich Gutierrez, Åsa Bjerndell and Karl Landin.
CSAM operates at the intersection of art, public policy and architecture. Its aim is to challenge current approaches to urban development by using art as a tool for investigation. By engaging local artists and craftspeople to critically examine the unequal distribution of urban resources, CSAM works to visualize the consequences of major geopolitical changes on local conditions in southern Malmö.
ABOUT CULTURES OF ASSEMBLY
The exhibition is presented by the international network Cultures of Assembly (CoA), led by architects and researchers Markus Miessen and César Reyes Nájera. For two decades, they have explored how architecture can create better conditions for dialogue, disagreement and collective decision-making.