Democracy in action: Horizon grant for policy-oriented research on grassroots culture and democracy
Dr. Sara Brandellero and Dr. Kamila Krakowska Rodrigues from Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society will lead a collaborative research project funded by Horizon Europe Work Programme on Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society. #DemocracyinAction studies arts and culture-based grassroots organizations in physical spaces and their social media and metaverse dimensions, to understand their critical potential in fostering democracy.
#DemocracyinAction identifies solutions for increasing meaningful political expression and participation in four key areas of grassroots social transformation of untapped potential: 1) nightivism (urban nighttime cultural life for political engagement); 2) women’s rights mobilization; 3) racial and ethnic civic participation through cultural expression; 4) youth activism and civic education.
Pilots
Pilots cover all EU regions, together with cases in the Americas, Africa, Middle East and Asia, in democratic and non-democratic contexts. Collaboration with community centres, theatres, exhibition halls, among other spaces, brings tested creative tools to mobilize people into civic participation and mitigate polarization. Working with digital designers and developers, #DemocracyinAction tests the unknown potential of virtual immersive spaces, including novel trends of virtual nightclubs, to deliver cutting-edge research and policy recommendations for a democratic and safe use and design of social media and metaverse environments.
Consortium-partners
The Leiden team, strengthened by Prof. Sybille Lammes, will collaborate with eight consortium partners based in six European countries: Santagata Foundation for the Economy of Culture (Italy); Jagiellonian University (Poland); Centre for the African Development Studies (Portugal); DE/MO foundation promoting democracy and culture among youth (Netherlands); National Research Council CSIC (Spain); night research and advocacy NGO VibeLab (Netherlands); Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal (Germany); and think-tank Institute of Public Affairs (Poland).