Creative Gatherings provide a radical alternative to traditional meetings and have arisen from a range of arts based initiatives over the last decade. Using creative curation techniques to bring together groups of people to develop flat heirarchies and cultures of exchange, there is evidence that creative gatherings can generate new ways of working and new networks through creative practice. Creative gatherings have the following key features:
- a neutral and independent space for the exploration of ideas free from associations with a single agenda or group/institution
- a means to open up dialogue and generate new ideas
- inclusivity – diverstiy is prioritised
Creative Gatherings can influence a different kind of conversation through ‘holding’ a space that contains tensions and opposing views within it and yet, are flexible and inviting enough for participants to maintain that flexibility. Sharing food is also a common factor in encouraging new ways of working and sharing ideas more directly.
A recent example of this approach can be found in this case study from the RSA’s Citizen Power Peterborough