The Museum of the Future

9 Jan, 2019 • Inspiration, Strategy • 517

The role of culture and community in the development of smarter cities

“Without cognitive deconstruction and analysis, cultural events, knowledge products, and intellectual achievements run the risk of being reified to little more than signifiers of a market economy.“

We may underestimate the role of culture in the effective development of societies and cities. On the individual level, the impact of cultural expressions is often crystal clear. Sergei Polunin’s famous interpretation of Take me to church, for instance, is creating a life-long fascination for ballet in my young son. On any other level, alas, the impact of culture is more opaque. When positioned within a framework, however, cultural development can go beyond a series of symbolic events and gain systematic importance in the development of smarter cities.

In their paper The Triple-Helix Model of Smart Cities: A Neo-Evolutionary Perspective, authors Loet Leydesdorff and Mark Deakin propose the triple helix model as this framework. I first became aware of the work of Loet Leydesdorff when I heard him referenced at a culture and innovation conference. As he is also my father in law, I have been especially keen on studying and understanding his work, which regularly relates to my work and interests.

The triple helix model of innovation refers to a set of interactions between academia, industry, and governments, to foster economic and social development (says Wikipedia). The model goes beyond simple market dynamics. Instead of the market, communities of policymakers, academic leaders, and corporate strategists are the drivers of innovation. When these communities are successful, they can help cities to become smarter.

Thus, to develop smarter cities, policymakers need to create the conditions that enable communities of different people to be successful.
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26 Nov, 2018 • Inspiration, Strategy • 1107

Launching Quantum Culture, a practical method for strategy development in the age of open source culture

Today, we proudly present our brand-new Quantum Culture workbook. Quantum Culture is a practical method for strategy development in the age of open source culture.

We – VISSCH+STAM co-partner Erik Schilp and I – developed Quantum Culture based on the learnings from the many projects we have been proud to work on in recent years. Developing the Quantum Culture method took the best part of the last few years, and many of you will have been exposed to earlier versions of the method or its tools in lectures, workshops, or projects we did.

Quantum Culture helps organizations to create flexible, dynamic, and more effective strategies by recognizing and building on their uniqueness, and by connecting around the values, ideas, and practices of their community.

At the core of Quantum Culture lies the belief that there is much diversity among people and the organizations they create, and that these differences need to be cherished and indeed create opportunities. This has always been one of the most important values in our work, and I cannot tell you how proud we are both to work with people who share this value and to have found a way to operationalize it for organizations and individuals around the world.
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4 Nov, 2018 • People • 1481

The procedures of community involvement

“Community involvement in the Netherlands is organised with procedures,” an urban developer mentioned at the closing of a session I attended this week.

As a citizen of the Netherlands, I have been and am part of such procedures. They shape our homes and neighbourhoods. Whenever a developer or the local municipality has a plan, they publish it in the local newspaper and online. They may organise an information evening for the people directly involved. Then, when nobody raises their voice, the plan is approved, and the community involvement checkbox checked. Equally, there are procedures for whenever someone complains. It is all very well arranged.

For instance, when the local government announced that a path behind our new home would become a shell path, some neighbours used a procedure to propose a brick path instead. The municipality followed their choice, resulting in a complaint from another group demanding a greener option. We advised the municipality on alternatives, but eventually, they simply called a vote on shells versus bricks, and the bricks won. Community involved?
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19 Sep, 2018 • Thoughts about museums • 2505

Museums and the SDGs: How to take action?

Museums and other cultural heritage organisations have a pivotal role to play in the SDGs, not in the least by using their expertise to make global challenges locally relevant.

Over the summer, I explored the relationship between museums and the SDGs, and where they can make a difference. The posts and ensuing social media conversations have connected me with a budding network of museums professionals passionate about sustainable development and brought me in touch with inspirational projects around the world.

Follow Henry McGhie, Sarah Sutton, and Bridget McKenzie on Twitter or email Douglas Worts to get into the museums and SDGs loop.

As the SDGs tackle enormous challenges (zero hunger, gender equality, climate action), they may seem daunting to many museum professionals. After all, how can a museum contribute to achieving zero hunger? How can a cultural heritage site reduce inequality? This ‘how’ is the topic of this third post in the series.

Advance warning: the answer may be underwhelming. There are no clear-cut recipes for programmes or exhibitions that will help you address the SDGs in your organisation. With 169 targets and at least five principal museum functions, the opportunities are endless.

Instead, a better guideline for taking action may be to consider what values a good project or initiative may have, and under what conditions a museum can take action on the SDGs. I believe these include the following:
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18 Jul, 2018 • Thoughts about museums • 4909

Museums and the SDGs: Where to make a difference?
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a compelling opportunity for museums and other cultural organizations to take action and show the world that culture deserves to be taken seriously when it comes to sustainable development. With 17 goals and a total of 169 targets, it may be a tough choice where to start, though. Which begs the question, Where can museums make a difference on the SDGs?

In this post I try to summarize where museums can take action on the SDGs, and how they might approach this, either by leading the way, supporting other organizations or making internal changes. Overall, there are more than 50 targets on which museums can make a difference.

This list is not comprehensive. Specific types of museums can take additional action on the topics in which they are experts. Natural history museums and science museums, for instance, have a considerable role to play in SDG 15 (Life on land), while Maritime and Coastal Heritage Museums may want to focus on SDG 14 (Life below water).

Three targets stand out, to me, as especially relevant to museums, cultural heritage organizations and other cultural actors:
- 4.7, which contains a call to action to all cultural organizations: Ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
- 10.2, which should be a rallying cry for our approach to our audiences: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
- 16.10, which touches upon some of the core tasks of cultural organizations: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.
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