Symposium: “Culture as a Commons”

How can cultural institutions or initiatives convert their social responsibility into effective, lasting impact—beyond symbolic gestures—in the face of accelerating ecological, social, and political transformations? And crucially: who participates in defining this mandate?

These urgent questions lie at the heart of “Culture as a Commons”, a three-day international forum that brings together 12 selected cultural initiatives from the Netherlands and Italy. In the framework of this gathering at Museion, they will open up and share best practice strategies, visions, and formats beyond institutional boundaries, exploring culture as a common good—as a space of “commoning”.

Rather than codifying fixed answers, the forum seeks to uncover both potential and limitations in current cultural work, through foregrounding experimental formats, porous collaborations, and gentle forms of activism. It encourages situated, responsive strategies to address challenges of social relevance, participation, and sustainability, including those raised in the 2022 redefinition of the museum by the International Council of Museums (ICOM).

True to its spirit, this particular forum represents a commons itself: it is participatory, publicly accessible and it invites cultural practitioners from diverse backgrounds—as well as everyone who sees culture as an inclusive and collective practice and a catalyst for social change—to engage, exchange, and reflect. The program will include not only discussions and workshops but also moments of shared experience, care, and wellbeing—dancing included.

This event is part of THE SOFTEST HARD, Museion Academy’s 2025 research series.

Participation in the symposium is free upon registration. If you wish to participate or would like more information, please contact info@museion.it.

Program overview (detailed agenda to follow)
Thursday, November 20
Interactive welcome and opening session / Introductory impulse discussion / Get-together with a glass of wine

Friday, November 21
Morning panel discussions “Culture as a Commons” / International partner match: best-practice workshops / Participation & interaction: afternoon session in the “Zine Space” / Informal evening gathering

Saturday, November 22
Collective zine ritual /  Final morning breakfast session with concluding discussion

List of our cultural partners
Arts in Health NL (Groningen), Casco Art Institute: Working for the Commons (Utrecht), Kunstinstituut Melly (Rotterdam), Scapino Ballet Rotterdam (Rotterdam), Museum van de Geest / Museum of the Mind (Haarlem & Amsterdam), Dans op Recept (Friesland), MAP – Moving Arts Project (Amsterdam), Oriente Occidente (Rovereto), Le Compagnie Malviste (Milan), Post Disaster (Taranto), Quasi Quasi (Milan), La Rivoluzione delle Seppie (Cosenza, Calabria)

In collaboration and with the support of the Embassy and Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.