Creating Futures: Art of Narrative

In an era when misinformation, disinformation, polarization, and reductive narratives spread rapidly online through social media and disruptive emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, issues like migration, climate change, social justice, identity politics, and political ideology are often misrepresented, fueling divisive and exclusionary perspectives and policies. Artistic and creative expression, therefore, play a critical role in countering these stereotypes and inaccuracies, creating space for complex human-centered stories that rise above such polarized discourse. Artists and cultural practitioners are pivotal in combatting mistrust and distrust to safeguard democratic institutions from a credibility crisis.

By offering nuanced perspectives, artists reveal the intricate realities of our lives and the pressing issues that impact us all. This program will delve into artistic and narrative strategies that elevate diverse perspectives, using creative expression to bridge divides, reshape public awareness and discourse, and uphold pluralistic, inclusive, and equitable social, cultural, and democratic values.

The program will focus on the exploration of five distinct storytelling landscapes:

1. Digital Arenas: This encompasses social media, online platforms, and virtual spaces where stories can rapidly reach global audiences. This strand will explore strategies to foster inclusive, ethical storytelling online, addressing challenges like misinformation and AI, reclaiming digital influence for authentic narratives.
2. Creative Currents: This landscape explores artistic and cultural expressions that influence narratives within and beyond traditional cultural institutions. Focusing on the evolving role of artists and creative practitioners, this strand examines how inclusive storytelling can engage contemporary audiences, bringing diverse narratives and lived experiences into the broader cultural conversation.
3. Neural Pathways: The human body and mind serve as intimate storytelling spaces where art connects with neuroscience, evoking empathy, resilience, and connection. This strand will delve into how artistic experiences impact the brain, fostering empathy and emotional understanding that transcends cultural divides.
4. Civic Stages: These represent the stories and values that shape collective identity and community resilience. Participants will explore how storytelling within civic contexts—through art, media, and community-driven narratives—can foster shared values, strengthen social bonds, and mobilize voices around common goals, celebrating the cultural heritage that unites diverse communities.
5. Public Places: Parks, plazas, and urban spaces are sites for visible, interactive storytelling that intersects with everyday life. This strand focuses on creative placemaking through murals, installations, and performances that invite community engagement, fostering dialogue, inclusivity, and social cohesion in communal spaces.

Program Details:

Virtual meetings:

• Online Co-Creation Meeting 1: March 6, 2025 (15:00 to 16:30 Central European Time)
• Online Co-Creation Meeting 2: March 13, 2025 (15:00 to 16:30 Central European Time)
• Online engagement through 2025

In-person convening in Salzburg, Austria:

In-Person Meeting: April 6, 2025 - April 11, 2025

The program will start around 15:00 Central European Time on April 6 and it will end on April 11 (this day being departure day only)

More information about the program is available here.

Application Information:

Selection will prioritize participants from across the Majority World*, including Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of the Middle East. We prioritize the participation of individuals from communities historically less visible in the arts and culture sector. We will actively seek to represent people of color, disabled individuals, those who identify as LGBT**, and participants from low-income, Indigenous, ethnically diverse, or migrant backgrounds.

Accepted applicants are provided with funded scholarships (covering travel, participation, room and board costs) to participate in this program.

*Majority World: This term shifts focus to the fact that the majority of the world’s population lives outside of the wealthiest, traditionally Western countries, primarily referring to countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of the Middle East. It reframes perspectives to recognize the diversity, innovation, and critical viewpoints from these regions without reinforcing outdated hierarchies.

**LGBT: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. This term is widely recognized in human rights discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity in many parts of the world. It is intended to be inclusive of other cultural concepts, contemporary or historical, that express sexuality, gender, intersex, and gender non-conforming identities.

Application Deadline:

November 28, 2024 (17:00 Central European Time)

If you have any exceptional circumstances that inhibit your application through this online portal, please get in touch with us at skunashakaran@salzburgglobal.org.