The contribution methods we practise in the cultural field hold true beyond it. We are opening a line of work to put them at the service of the co-construction of public policies (social, educational, youth, health) with the people they concern, within the framework of cultural rights.
The need
In assemblies, committees and participation bodies, speaking time is unevenly distributed: a few people talk, most keep silent, and conventional formats gather opinions more than they produce contributions. We regularly practise, in large groups, in person as well as remotely, a method that goes the other way: orality first, written down live before everyone’s eyes, then individual writing within a setting that puts everyone on an equal footing, each contribution carrying the same weight whatever its author’s position. This practice is documented: helping young people and professionals to speak out, an advocacy document written by twelve people in one afternoon, giant digital brainstorming. So is its political framework: Beyond Mobilizing Audiences : Building Democratic Narratives, Cultural rights and the « fight » against the far right, Why the power to act is so often experienced as a transgression. And a city has shown what bringing two public policies together through these methods produces: Culture and youth : two professional cultures a city chose to connect.
Where we stand
Open reflection. Updated: August 2026. The methods are proven in the cultural field and at its edge (youth, social work); no process entirely outside the cultural field has been undertaken yet. We want to build a first demonstrator: the co-construction of a public scheme with the people it concerns, from confidence-building through creation to a joint written production.
Taking part
If your local authority or organisation wants to co-construct a scheme with the people concerned, beyond questionnaires and user committees, this line of work is open for exactly that. Write to us.