The Civic Role of Arts in 2025| An Initial Perspective Curated by Future Agenda Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation| London – June 2016

During 2015 we undertook 120 workshops in 45 cities around the world discussing the future of 25 topics with over 3000 people.

The output is has been shared via website, social networks and a book.

Initial Perspectives

Q4 2014

Global Discussions Q1-3 2015

Insight Synthesis Q4 2015

Sharing of Output /

Deeper Study 2016

Overhead Avoidance Systems, salaries and training in not-for-profit organisations often suffer from lack of investment as these organisations feel pressured by funders

(and other) expectations to maintain unrealistic overhead ratios.

Third Sector Consensus Society’s continuing dependence on the third sector to take on roles

traditionally provided by the state calls for it to better define and co-ordinate its collective approach, impact and needs.

The Climate Change Challenge Climate change can no longer be ignored. While many are now looking at improving the resilience of their facilities to more extreme weather, how many will also seek to adapt to the new world of 4C of global warming?

Creating Skills Demand NfP investment in leadership development initiatives helps ensure the

long-term health of the sector but this requires funders and regulators to support the adoption of and measure against an agreed leadership code.

Redefining Citizen and State Community engagement will come to define the relationship

between citizens and the state. Boundaries will become blurred and power will become increasingly decentralised.

Digital Engagement Cities are using digital platforms to better plan for the future and encourage public engagement. Using new technology and big data to support strategic

planning of a city can help improve public engagement with the process.

Closing the Inequality Gap One of the challenges facing the state is how to balance equity

and autonomy. A centralised system is often viewed to be more equitable at the expense of autonomy.

Shifting Balance The delivery focus moves beyond activities, people and organisations to focus on driving system and social change. This requires increased

collaboration between public, private and social sectors.

Measuring Good Despite the cost of collecting data, feedback from beneficiaries

plays an increasing role in measuring success particularly when other outcomes are hard to measure.

Double Counting There is a growth in structured volunteering which helps individuals develop new skills and relationships while also making a difference

in their community and in broader society.

Nudge too Far Nudge policies are popular with governments and can positively impact

behaviour. Some see these as a push too far, removing any remaining sense of agency from those already disenfranchised and on the fringes.

Imaginative Alliances In order to instigate positive change new alliances are formed between

multiple organisations all prepared to share resources, creativity and intelligence. Increasingly the social sector choreographs this process.

End of Charity The 20th century donative charity model reaches its limit. Models

emerge that are more nimble, more commercial, more collaborative, more empowering, more temporal for good.

Coalition of the Willing The need for intermediaries between the not-for-profit, corporate and

statutory sector grows as, despite different motivations, doing good provides an opportunity for all to both benefit and have positive impact.

Creative Economy The creative economy helps to build inclusive and sustainable cultures. What’s more, it generates wealth. To build scale it requires a workforce

comfortable with collaboration, critical thinking and the ability to take a risk.

Female Leadership Women in richer economies have greater choice, and with it increased

control and influence. This continues to drive change and decision-making, but globally the battle for female equality has a long road to travel.

Public Spaces Governments are pressured to ensure that public spaces are created

and retained – Places where people can meet, congregate, relax, even where land is valuable and constrained, are prized focal points for society.

Collaboration Time as a Social Currency Time spent working on collaborative projects addressing real issues is a

metric that drives reputation and social status. Individuals seek to give up their free-time to help solve emerging problems to better support society.

In Need of Belonging Small communities exist in mega cities to provide a sense of community

and social wellbeing. Looking ahead, the more responsive cities will seek to enable communities to mould their neighbourhoods.

Artful Measures Increased availability of data shows more clearly the social and economic

impact of art and is used by funders, governments and society as a key measure to determine the performance of arts organisations.

Austerity as Opportunity Budget constraints mean that doing good shifts from supporting others to the

removal of obstacles which prevent individuals from accessing opportunity. Social models change from ‘doing to’ people to “building self-reliance”.

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