Cultural Democracy in Practice

The term Cultural Democracy describes an approach to arts and culture that actively engages everyone in deciding what counts as culture, where it happens, who makes it, and who experiences it. It is not a new concept, but it’s one that seems to be gaining focus across arts and culture. It’s also often misunderstood or misused in the cultural sector. We were commissioned by Arts Council England, to explore practical ways cultural organisations are being most innovative in this area, to share this practice and collect case studies of projects which embed Cultural Democracy at their heart. 

Read the Report

Case Studies

• The Agency
• Cambridgeshire Libraries
• Citizen Curators
• Contact Theatre
• Derby Museums
• Fun Palaces
• National Theatre
• Northern Heartlands
• Theatre Wales Team
• Scene & Heard
• Scottee & Friends
• The Shop Front Theatre

Case Study Websites & Online Resources

Creative People and Places: http://www.creativepeopleplaces.org.uk/

Fun Palaces: http://funpalaces.co.uk/

Battersea Arts Centre: http://www.bac.org.uk

Derby Museums: https://www.derbymuseums.org/

Scottee and Friends: https://www.scottee.co.uk/

Citizen Curators: https://www.cornwallmuseumspartnership.org.uk/citizen-curators/

Shop Front: http://www.theatreabsolute.co.uk/shop-front-theatre/

Slung low: https://www.slunglow.org/

Northern Heartlands: https://northernheartlands.org/

Contact: https://contactmcr.com/

NTW Team: https://www.nationaltheatrewales.org/

Scene & Heard: https://www.sceneandheard.org/

Resources

Creative People and Places – Shared decision making: http://www.creativepeopleplaces.org.uk/our-learning/shared-decision-making-toolkit

Voluntary Arts – Our Cultural Commons: https://www.voluntaryarts.org/Pages/Category/our-cultural-commons

The Roundhouse – Guided by Young Voices: http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/about-us/our-work-with-young-people/youth-governance/

Gulbenkian Inquiry into the Civic Role of Arts Organisations: https://civicroleartsinquiry.gulbenkian.org.uk/

Join the Discussion…

Contact us at hello@64millionartists with recommendations for further case studies.