Contribution short abstract:

The presentation introduces a "Flower Monster" - a provocative, purposefully messy and incomplete creative workshop toolkit for local cultural institutions like museums, archives and libraries to practice writing/making democracy part of their core mission.

Contribution long abstract:

The presentation introduces a "Flower Monster" - a provocative creative workshop toolkit that deliberately moves away from organisational input-output flowcharts or block models of cultural policy and allows for an argument that democracy is a work in progress that can often become monstrous.

Local cultural institutions are subjected to cultural policies that highlight the role of democratisation of culture and cultural democracy. The democratization of culture is based on two interconnected rationales. First, there is a desire to expand cultural engagement, viewing culture as a common good or intangible welfare. Cultural democracy supports diversity in cultural expressions and promotes active participation, where local institutions like museums, libraries, or archives facilitate multiple perspectives and voices. Second, within a belief that culture has the capacity to transform, enlighten, or even civilise the population, democratisation is about widening access to elite and high culture. But in this context of slightly conflicting mandates, is there a limit to cultural activities that are worthy of doing? Can activities that support multiple perspectives be harmful to democracy?

The Flower Monster workshop allows the participants to creatively explore the skeins of influence, and take a closer look at democracy-supporting practices but also question - what democracy is for our institution. The provocation is purposefully messy, incomplete and open, inviting challenges and questioning thus providing space for discussion even of the foundational ideals of local cultural institutions. The presentation introduces the monster visual and accompanying toolkit with foundational provocations to enable institutions to practice writing/making democracy.