People working in the cultural field tend to see culture as a factor that helps create social cohesion, through knowledge and tolerance. All too often, though, this is nothing more than wishful thinking or a pleasant statement. We continue doing our work the way we have always done it, perpetuating dominant narratives, not the least aware of or touched by whatever is going on in the society. Recent issues that have dominated discussions in different countries and societies – such as the refugee crisis, populism, poverty, the climate emergency, racism, the colonial past and its influence in everyday thinking and practice – have also shown that these are difficult issues even among culture professionals. How can we expect to contribute to knowledge, tolerance and social cohesion when we ourselves are avoiding the difficult conversations?