Museums have an important role to play in the future of democracies, especially in times of global challenges for democracy. Recent research by the European Commission shows that visiting museums and engaging in cultural activities strengthens democracy and social cohesion, irrespective of citizens’ education level or socio-economic background. Over the past year, citizen juries held by museums in Germany and the United Kingdom have successfully demonstrated how deliberative processes, like citizens’ assemblies, can integrate seamlessly into decision-making practices of memory institutions. This workshop will explore these pioneering approaches, providing both theoretical insights and practical guidance for museums seeking to involve the public in decision-making and create more inclusive, democratic spaces.
The workshop will take place on the 16th of June in the Old Arsenal of the National Museum of Lithuania (Arsenalo street 3, Vilnius).
The programme of the event:
09.00 – 09.30 Registration, welcome coffee
09.30 – 10.00 Introduction and icebreaker
10.00 – 10.50 Learning session. Democratic Innovation: Deliberative Democracy and Citizens’ Assemblies
10.50 – 11.00 Coffee break
11.00 – 12.00 Group discussion. How can citizens’ assemblies be applied in museums?
12.00 – 13.00 Lunch break (provided by organisers)
13.00 – 13.45 Learning session. Citizens’ Assemblies in Museums: what can we learn from examples from the UK and Germany?
13.45 – 15.00 Workshop. "Assembling an Assembly” Part 1: before the assembly
15.00 – 15.20 Coffee break
15.20 – 16.00 Workshop. “Assembling an Assembly” Part 2: during the assembly
16.00 – 16.40 Workshop. "Assembling an Assembly” Part 3: after the assembly
16.40 – 16.55 Group work feedback and reflections
The workshop will be led by Ieva Česnulaitytė, a researcher, policy analyst, and activist with nearly a decade of experience advancing democratic innovation through citizens’ assemblies and Julija Česnulaitytė, a Brussels-based interdisciplinary designer working at the intersection of performance, publishing, and research.
The event targets museum employees and memory policy makers responsible for strategic decision-making, communication and community engagement. The event will be held in Lithuanian, but we encourage English-speaking participants to register as well – arrangements will be made to accommodate their participation.
Registration is required. If you would like to participate, register here.
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Event partner – the National Museum of Lithuania. This workshop is part of a project that has received funding from the European Union under the WIDERA programme (EUROPAST project, Grant Agreement No. 101079466).
EUROPAST is carried out collaboratively by Vilnius University (coordinator, Lithuania), Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History (Germany), Lund University (Sweden), and Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH, Luxembourg).
To learn more, click here.
