Maarg Manthan · Topic 11.5

UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Art & Culture › Miscellaneous · Topic 11.5

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was launched in 2004 to link cities that use creativity for sustainable urban development. Cities are designated in fields such as Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music, and from 2025 also Architecture. As of November 2026, India has nine cities in the network: Jaipur (Crafts and Folk Art) and Varanasi (Music) in 2015, Chennai (Music) in 2017, Mumbai (Film) and Hyderabad (Gastronomy) in 2019, Srinagar (Crafts and Folk Art) in 2021, Gwalior (Music) and Kozhikode (Literature) in 2023, and Lucknow (Gastronomy) in 2025.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Miscellaneous

At a Glance

Launched 2004 by UNESCO
India’s cities 9 (as of Nov 2026)
Latest Indian city Lucknow, Gastronomy, 2025
Music cities Varanasi, Chennai, Gwalior
Literature city Kozhikode
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Miscellaneous

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the one on intangible heritage in the macro on miscellaneous subjects. It adds a third UNESCO programme, which recognises whole cities for their creative traditions instead of single sites or practices. Previous topic: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Kumbh Mela, Yoga, Durga Puja, Kutiyattam, Ramlila, Vedic Chanting, Chhau Dance, Sankirtana, Buddhist Chanting of Ladakh, Nawrouz). Next topic: UNESCO Global Geopark.

Which Indian Cities Are in the Creative Cities Network?

City	State or UT	Creative field	Year
Jaipur	Rajasthan	Crafts and Folk Art	2015
Varanasi	Uttar Pradesh	Music	2015
Chennai	Tamil Nadu	Music	2017
Mumbai	Maharashtra	Film	2019
Hyderabad	Telangana	Gastronomy	2019
Srinagar	Jammu and Kashmir	Crafts and Folk Art	2021
Gwalior	Madhya Pradesh	Music	2023
Kozhikode	Kerala	Literature	2023
Lucknow	Uttar Pradesh	Gastronomy	2025

How Does the Creative Cities Network Work?

Founding: UNESCO launched the network in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities that treat creativity as a driver of development
Fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music were the seven original fields, and Architecture was added with the 2025 cohort
Designation: cities apply through the national commission for UNESCO, and the Director-General of UNESCO announces the new cities, usually around World Cities Day on 31 October
Monitoring: designated cities send a report every four years
Size: the network had about 400 cities in over 100 countries after the 2025 round, according to reports
India’s nodal body: the Ministry of Education’s Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO sends the nominations, along with the Ministry of Culture
Benefits: branding, tourism, funding partners and exchange among cities
Obligations: cities must plan projects around their creative field and share knowledge with the network
Link with other programmes: it is separate from World Heritage listing and from the intangible heritage lists

What Else Should You Remember?

Jaipur: named for Crafts and Folk Art, with blue pottery, block printing, gems and jewellery
Varanasi: named for Music, as the home of the Banaras gharana of tabla and thumri
Chennai: named for Music, with the December Music Season and the Carnatic tradition, as in Carnatic Music (Trinity – Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri)
Mumbai: named for Film, as the centre of Hindi cinema
Hyderabad: named for Gastronomy, known for Hyderabadi biryani and Nizami cuisine
Srinagar: named for Crafts and Folk Art, with papier-mache, Kani shawls, walnut woodwork and Pashmina
Gwalior: named for Music, as the home of the Gwalior gharana, the oldest khayal gharana, as in Hindustani Music (Gharanas – Gwalior, Kirana, Agra, Jaipur-Atrauli, Patiala)
Kozhikode: named for Literature, with a reading culture and its role in Malayalam writing, and the first Indian City of Literature
Lucknow: named for Gastronomy, linked with Awadhi cuisine, kebabs and dum cooking, and reported in the 2025 cohort
Nominating agencies: the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education work with the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO, and the state government and city authorities prepare the dossier for each city
Pattern of rounds: Jaipur and Varanasi were the first Indian cities in 2015, Chennai followed in 2017, Mumbai and Hyderabad in 2019, Srinagar in 2021, two cities came together in 2023, and Lucknow joined in 2025
Why the label matters: it helps cities attract visitors and partners, supports artisans, musicians and cooks, and ties the city plan to its cultural strengths
Counting caution: some older sources list eight cities because they predate the 2025 round
Chennai-Gwalior-Varanasi: these three cities make India strong in the music field

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

City and field: Kozhikode for Literature, Mumbai for Film, Hyderabad and Lucknow for Gastronomy
Latest: Lucknow in 2025 and Gwalior with Kozhikode in 2023
Count: nine cities as of November 2026
Fields: names of the creative fields of the network
Common error: giving Jaipur the field of Design or Gastronomy

As an analytical point, the network treats culture as an urban asset. India’s inclusion of smaller cities such as Gwalior and Kozhikode shows a wider spread, but real impact needs funded local projects, not only the title.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Match City and field
Latest Recent additions
Concept Culture-led cities

What Came Next?

The next topic covers UNESCO Global Geoparks and India’s position in that network. Next topic: UNESCO Global Geopark.

Key People and Terms

UCCN Creative Cities Network
City of Music Designation for music
Gastronomy Food culture
Crafts and Folk Art Craft field
World Cities Day 31 October
Creative economy Economy based on culture

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

India: 9 cities.
Literature: Kozhikode.
Film: Mumbai.
Gastronomy: Hyderabad, Lucknow.
Music: Varanasi, Chennai, Gwalior.

Do Not Confuse With

Creative Cities and World Heritage City-level creativity label versus site protection
Jaipur and Srinagar Both Crafts and Folk Art
Hyderabad and Lucknow Both Gastronomy

Memory Hook

Music: V C G; food: H and L; film is Mumbai; letters are Kozhikode.

Mains Angle

Questions ask how creative cities support development. These points give a frame.

Urban culture Cities as creative hubs
Livelihoods Artisans and cooks
Soft power Global branding

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss how the UNESCO Creative Cities Network can contribute to culture-led urban development in India.”

How to Answer

Status Nine cities.
Value Branding, tourism.
Limit Title without funds.
Way Local creative plans.

GS Relevance

Prelims: Indian cities in the network, their creative field and year. GS Paper 1: Indian heritage and culture; GS Paper 3: culture-led urban development.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Indian cities are in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network?

As of November 2026, India has nine cities in the network: Jaipur, Varanasi, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Srinagar, Gwalior, Kozhikode and Lucknow. Lucknow, designated for Gastronomy in 2025, is the latest, and some older sources show eight cities because they predate that round.

Which Indian city is a UNESCO City of Literature?

Kozhikode in Kerala was named India's first UNESCO City of Literature in October 2023. It was recognised for its reading culture, libraries, publishing and role in Malayalam literature. Gwalior was named a City of Music in the same round.

Which Indian cities are UNESCO Cities of Gastronomy?

Hyderabad was named a City of Gastronomy in 2019 and Lucknow in 2025, according to reports of the 2025 cohort. Hyderabad is known for biryani and Nizami dishes, and Lucknow for Awadhi cooking, including kebabs and slow dum cooking.

Which Indian cities are UNESCO Cities of Music?

Varanasi was named in 2015, Chennai in 2017 and Gwalior in 2023. Varanasi is linked with the Banaras gharana, Chennai with the Carnatic music tradition and its December season, and Gwalior with the Gwalior gharana and the legacy of Tansen.

Why is the Creative Cities Network important for UPSC?

Prelims asks which city holds which creative field and the year of designation, especially Kozhikode, Gwalior, Srinagar and Lucknow. Mains links it to culture-led urban development and soft power. Remember the count of nine and the latest city, Lucknow in 2025.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Kozhikode was named a UNESCO City of Literature.

True

In 2023.

2 Mumbai is a UNESCO City of Music.

False

Mumbai was named for Film.

3 Jaipur and Srinagar are both Cities of Crafts and Folk Art.