Policy makers, Funders, Politicians and Organisation Leaders @ City (Re)Searches

Find your space in City (Re)searches on Friday 22nd February

If you’re involved in policy or strategic development, lead an organisation or represent a political party, you may be interested in taking part in Friday morning’s discussion event on cultural agency. Here’s the agenda for the programme, 11am to 1 pm Friday 22^nd February.

Please contact Lucy at lucy@comartspartner.org to register your interest

‘CULTURAL AGENCY’ – A City (Re)Searches Event

In an unequal society, how do we enable everyone to share in the cultural life of a place? What approaches do we have? What are the challenges?

City (Re)Searches is in Belfast for four days of exploration and exchange. This particular event on cultural agency will take place at 11 am to 1 pm on Friday 22^nd February

It forms part of the larger programme in the ‘Pop! Culture’ inflatable pop-up space in Writers’ Square from 20^th to 23^rd February. The City (Re)Searches team, supported by Community Arts Partnership, will be hosting a series of events conversations and creative opportunities on the nature and role of culture and creativity in our societies.

The City (Re)Searches initiative takes place at a point of social and economic change in our societies. This change creates new contexts for culture and creativity. In turn it is change that culture and creativity are challenged to address and influence.

Theme

The concept of cultural agency is at the heart of the City (Re)Searches initiative. Agency has been defined as ‘the active element of culture’. Agency focuses our attention on issues of power and status as well as on issues of practice and action. Cultural agency in unequal societies has largely been confined to the powerful, with the recognised producers of culture drawn from a restricted circle.

This event on cultural agency engages with the debate on who the cultural agents in our society are, to what ends this agency is directed towards, and what future developments are required for equality in cultural agency.

Process

This event will bring a range of different voices and interests to this debate on cultural agency. It offers the opportunity to present ideas, hear the ideas of others, and, maybe change views on the topic.

This event is designed as a conversation. There are no expert presentations, no workshops. The event is organized in a round table format where the views of participants are shared, heard and challenged. Each table discusses the same questions and after each set of questions there is a chance to share the ideas that have come up at each table. Each table will be facilitated by City (Re)Searches and a record of the conversations will be kept and written up.

The Agenda

1. Welcome – Introduction to City (Re)Searches and to the event.

First Deliberation – The Who of Cultural Agency

1. Opening statement from City (Re)Searches on the first theme.
2. Table discussion
   1. How do we redistribute cultural agency in an unequal society?
   2. How do we enable those on the margins of our society to be cultural agents?
3. Summary statement from each facilitator – Three key points.

Second Deliberation – The Purpose of Cultural Agency

1. Opening statement from City (Re)Searches on the second theme.
2. Table Discussion
   1. What is the relationship between culture and social change?
   2. What is the relationship between culture and community life?
3. Summary statement from each facilitator – Three key points.

Third Deliberation – The Future of Cultural Agency

1. Opening statement from City (Re)Searches on the third theme.
2. Table discussion
   1.  What forms of culture and creativity should now be valued?
   2. What new forms of culture and creativity need to be stimulated?

10. Summary statement from each facilitator – Three key points.

11. Close