On the first day of the conference in Belgrade, discussions centered on the complexities of public art and policy-making aimed at enhancing urban well-being through cultural engagement.  Joerg Fingerhut's introduction laid the groundwork for an engaging session on the transformative power of art in public spaces and its impact on individuals' emotional and psychological states. 

Matthew Pelowski presented a case study on the "Show Me Your Wound" exhibition at St. Stephen's, which addressed refugee issues through religious art. Pelowski emphasized the exhibition's potential for creating transformative experiences, suggesting that art can play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and fostering empathy.

The focus of Corinna Kühnapfel's presentation was on the "Wedding Study”: A key finding of the study was the significant impact of curator design on participants' experiences. The question, "How much did you feel like the curator wanted you to feel?" was pivotal in understanding the effect of art on nature awareness. The data indicated that participants' feelings were more influenced by the curatorial intent than by their own preconceived notions of how they should feel. This insight underscored the importance of intentional curation in shaping emotional and cognitive responses to art.

Joerg Fingerhut concluded with insights from the "Your Emotional City" project, which used ecological momentary assessment to measure urban density's impact on well-being. Preliminary data from Berlin indicated that green spaces, personal space, and safety were significant factors influencing happiness and stress levels. The presence of art increased the perceived interestingness of spaces, correlating positively with well-being. Future research was suggested to explore the transformative effects of public art tours and the role of mediation in enhancing engagement with art.

The session provided a comprehensive overview of how art in public spaces can influence emotional and psychological states, offering valuable insights for future research and policy-making aimed at enhancing urban well-being through cultural engagement.

The day continued with contributions from guests from Belgrade, who joined in group work to draft policy recommendations.

Milena Dragićević Šešić discussed the concept of belonging within policies of care and empathy. She explored methods for directly influencing public opinions by engaging passers-by and initiating conversations about cultural events. The challenge of attracting people to cultural events, even with incentives like free tickets, was a focal point. The use of open-ended phrases as a model for mediation was debated, with pre- and post-exhibition prompts such as "Today I feel..." being examined for their effectiveness in raising awareness and fostering self-reflection.

Milan Đorđević and Nina Mihaljinac presented three artists addressing environmental and social issues through community engagement. They discussed the challenges of employing and engaging unemployed artists, tackling ethnic divides and waste management, and promoting participatory and co-creative art. They emphasized the transformative potential of the creative process, particularly in marginalized communities such as the Roma people. The session underscored that processes, rather than projects, are more influential, and stressed that public institutions should foster participation beyond traditional cultural scopes, avoiding support for cultural associations that are limited to folklore.

Ljiljana Radošević revisited the concept of transformation, emphasizing the advancement of well-being in cities through local knowledge tailored to disengaged groups. She noted that while many people are indifferent to Belgrade’s architecture, even basic knowledge could spark engagement. Radošević introduced the "Aesthetics of Empowerment," advocating for mediation strategies that create meaningful experiences. Matthew highlighted the impact of different cultural experiences on personal and societal levels, suggesting a shift from discussing art to cultural artifacts. 

The discussion continued with an exploration of the distinction between public art and art in public spaces, challenging the notion that all art displayed in public is inherently public art. The conversation highlighted the origins of graffiti culture, which evolved into street art, often created without formal commission. This gave rise to a belief in the accessibility of public spaces for spontaneous artistic interventions, potentially lacking a comprehensive understanding of these spaces. The debate extended to the question of alternative policies to zero-tolerance approaches towards graffiti. It was noted that policy recommendations often default to advocating for "nice and pretty" art pieces, without considering the nuanced impacts of different types of artwork.

Policy recommendations emerged from these discussions, emphasizing the need for more arts education in schools, tailored public arts policies for each city, and their support for community engagement. The importance of mediation in urban arts and the transformative potential of prolonged community engagement were underscored.