ART + DEMOCRACY: Expanding the meaning and practice of Democracy through Public Art

Sammanfattning: This thesis contributes to an EU Policy Lab project entitled The Future of Government 2030+. The aim of which is to generate knowledge in the context of the rapidly changing relationship between citizens and government.Using a co-design and speculative design process this thesis specifically looks at informing a citizen centric perspective on envisioning and formulating the design of new interactive tools and forms of engagement. Looking at the potential of art’s role in rethinking the way democracy and governments operate and exploring how citizens could interact, participate and engage in democracy. Investigating how new forms of debate and decision making could unfold in both domestic and public spaces in a future model of participatory democracy.A framework for a future model of government is presented in this thesis through prototype scenarios. This framework emerged from citizens visions of communication and interaction with a future government. The framework focuses on two key areas where artistic expression is used: 1: The formulation and communication of issues of concerns. 2: Community organising for creative participation in addressing these issues.The discussions on art and democracy by philosophers John Dewey and Bruno Latour were influential in the formulation and selection of the methodological approach. Culminating in a sequential design research process conducted through public probes, cultural probes and co-design workshops.