Clusters

The Summit programme will draw on diverse contexts and systems to explore tools for futureproofing. The discussions will have three transversal clusters:

1. knowledge systems and agency;

2. participatory systems and connectedness; and

3. digital systems and technology.

These three clusters should be understood as a network of intertwined themes. Throughout the Summit programme, emphasis might be placed on one cluster or another; however, the dimension of all clusters will be interrogated and considered in the debates and actions.

Knowledge Systems

To be futureproof is to anticipate events and develop ways to adapt, to mitigate negative effects and to take advantage of positive ones. This is something that those within the cultural and creative sector stakeholder group – including arts councils, ministries of culture and cultural agencies – must do as they navigate polycrisis. Knowledge – and its diverse systems – will be critical to how we futureproof our roadmap for the CCS, as will the tools and insights that we develop to support them and the environments in which they operate.

Knowledge systems for culture are important and multifaceted. They range from organised structures, processes, and frameworks to resources that are designed to gather, manage, monitor, guide and disseminate information, data, insights and strategic directions. Moreover, they are supported and strengthened by analysis, research, education, and cross-disciplinary approaches. Diverse knowledge systems for culture can also support amplifying marginalised voices and indigenous perspectives, creating a more inclusive and equitable representation of diverse cultural narratives, which is key to futureproofing. These systems can play a crucial role in challenging, key in decolonising and to reshape dominant paradigms and power structures; and to develop enabling cultural policies that will ensure vital and sustainable CCS, that are diverse, equitable and inclusive.

In many cultures, knowledge is an extension of wisdom. This implies that knowledge encompasses lived experiences and may be intertwined with, even inseparable from, the spiritual realm. The latter perspective goes beyond viewing knowledge solely as something acquired from others. Exploring wisdom cultures can offer valuable insights into understanding knowledge systems more deeply.

At the Summit: There are various schools of thought, approaches, and knowledge systems that will help us to be futureproof. This includes:

• Indigenous knowledge systems
  including relationship to land, environment and ancestry, and the cosmovision,[1] and pioneering different and innovative models of problem solving both digital and analogue

• Living Cultures knowledge systems
  including local, community led approaches and cultural practices of exchange, diverse systems of collecting information, and addressing societal issues

• Education and institutional knowledge systems
  including formal and informal learning institutions, science and empirical knowledge and information gathering

Formats and approaches: We will incorporate a range of formats and workshop styles that align with the knowledge systems presented. This will include sessions led by First Nations people and Community; community-based discussions; sessions with community involvement, collaboration, and local expertise; and spaces for artistic expressions that reflect traditional knowledge.

Intersections of knowledge sharing will be key in the discussions including intercultural dialogue, intergenerational knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary and intersectoral knowledge collaboration.

Arts and culture can challenge ideas and create a rich environment in which to test different ways of thinking and doing, as we imagine inclusive, sustainable and resilient futures for peoples and the planet.[2]

Collectivity, Connectedness and Participation

For our purposes, collectivity and connectedness means belonging and being part of a larger whole with a common goal.

At the 9th World Summit, delegates discussed the erosion of public debate as a key challenge and highlighted the role of digital platforms, social media, media organisations, and arts and cultural institutions as gatekeepers that can both democratise and dominate culture, and create opposing environments in which people only encounter information and beliefs that align with their own (commonly referred to as echo chambers).[3]

This erosion mirrors and reinforces the polarised nature of political debate and public opinion mounting in different parts of the world. This is increasingly played out in the cultural arena, where art may be targeted symbolically or misused for competing agendas. In addition, such platforms can reinforce dominant narratives, making other voices even more marginalised and invisible. This puts cultural platforms under pressure from all sides, which can create fertile ground for censure and censorship (both by peers and artists themselves).

Connectedness and collectivity also compass the human relationship with ecology; how we see and define this connection with nature. We cannot chart a future that does not think beyond the human realm, we must be inclusive of other forms of life and the environment.

These are major issues that will affect the sustainability of the arts and culture ecosystem, particularly the diversity of cultural expressions. We can tackle these issues by coming together as a collective and connected international community.

At the Summit: Participatory systems involve active engagement and collaboration among a diverse group of stakeholders, enabling collective decision making and problem solving, respectful and open debate, and the sharing of insights and expertise within a community, organisation or sector. Participatory processes are key to bringing people together and creating a collaborative environment and our futureproofing efforts will rely on ensuring that problem solving is analysed from a range of viewpoints and achieved by working together.

This cluster will include models that:

• involve and encourage active participation in the governance of culture at all stages in future thinking. This applies to every stage of the policy process, from identifying an issue or problem to be addressed, conducting consultations to gain a comprehensive understanding at different policy development stages, to co-creating and collaborating for its implementation, and finally, monitoring its progress.

• showcase innovative collaborations for futureproofing and span a broad spectrum – from policy initiatives to civil society-led efforts – and will present a diverse range of examples that use highly participatory models to address systemic issues.

Formats and approaches: We will use formats including long table discussions, world café sessions and collective design-thinking models, the use of technology for real-time results and exchange, and other styles of highly participatory exchange.

Digital Systems and Technology

The digital age has profoundly shaped the world in which we live, how we experience it, and how we relate to one another, and especially what we trust. In addition, for the CCS digital technologies and tools have transformed not only artistic and cultural practices, but the entire cultural value chain: from creation to production, distribution, access and participation.

As we explored in Supporting Culture in the Digital Age (2020), recent technologies have radically changed how artists can work, with optimised processes and greater opportunities to experiment, collaborate, create, present, and find audiences. However, these opportunities are not distributed evenly, with a digital divide that separates those who can access necessary infrastructure, skills, knowledge, and experience, and often replicates existing barriers including those based on language, disability, race, and gender. Moreover, the challenges we face are compounded by fundamental questions related to the nature of creation: when works of art are produced by artificial intelligence or machine learning, who holds the rights? And how can we stop traditional cultural expressions from being appropriated and exploited?

New technologies have also generated new products and created opportunities to preserve intangible heritage, archive information, open new markets, adopt innovative business models, and empower actors across the cultural value chain. However, these too come with challenges. Abundant cultural goods and services concentrate supply in a way that affects diversity of cultural expressions and content discoverability, and many organisations struggle to adapt to new environments due to a lack of infrastructure, funds, time, staff and/or technical resources. What modes of education do we have, and what narratives are they based on?

In addition, a disconnect between the cultural sector and non-cultural sectors that drive the digital agenda creates an imbalance in the skills, knowledge and funding required to operate – and compete with viable business models – in changed markets, with new players and scales of operation.[4] And there are risks associated with deficiencies in skills development, with a lack of awareness and access to reliable data (and the systems needed to analyse and leverage such information) that hinders the cultural and creative sectors’ ability to carry out evaluation and forward planning.

Moreover, rapid technological advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) – and other advancing technologies such as robotics, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things – are transforming disciplines, economies, and industries, and challenging ideas about what it means to be human, as noted by UNESCO.[5] This has a direct effect on the arts and cultural ecosystem and its stakeholders. This is even more profound for diverse perspectives of younger generations that have been born into the digital era.

In addition, one of the significant obstacles faced by the CCS in embracing new technologies is the perception that the digital age represents a reality arriving "from outside" (that is, from other types of disciplines such as engineering or programming) and that, therefore, others should be in charge (so the CSS can just listen to these other players). The opportunity to foster more dialogue and break down silos contributes to empowering the CCS in this digital environment.

During the Summit we will develop a deeper understanding of these opportunities, challenges, and societal impact of the digital age and tech philosophy,[6] which will inform our strategies to futureproof a roadmap for the CCS.

At the Summit: The digital systems and technology cluster looks at the role played by digital spaces and technology in our current systems, from our improved capacity for evidence-based information gathering to the influence of misinformation, social media and other information platforms, and how the cultural value chain has transformed.

The cluster will also:

• address the digital technologies that the whole culture and creative ecosystem truly require, in their context in their realities and on their terms

• consider automated intelligence gathering and machine learning, and how technology and the digital space serve as creative spaces for new work and innovative thinking.

• examine the challenges faced by the CCS ecosystem in adapting to this rapidly evolving landscape, with a focus on harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) while ensuring information systems maintain knowledge and evidence-based foundations.

• explore the potential for AI to level the playing field and equip us with the tools and capabilities we require to navigate our way in the long-term, as well as opportunities to use AI to free resources from administration so they can be redirected to creativity and development activities.

• highlight the interconnectedness showcase the impact of technology across different domains. This will serve as a platform to reflect on previous discussions and identify where technology has significantly impacted (both positively and negatively) or where its potential has yet to be fully realised or understood.

Formats and approaches: We will use a range of digitally interactive formats and other types of collaborative tools. This may lead to more spontaneous content discussion based on the real-time collection of ideas in the room, by using live polling for example. This may also include hybrid models of engagement (analogue and digital) as well as skills development workshops, including a possible session in the metaverse. By demonstrating actual examples and solutions, we can inspire action and foster collaboration towards meaningful outcomes.

Footnotes