The need for more citizen-led decision-making across society has never been more urgent. Our current decision-making systems and structures are dominated by an advantaged elite who are often disconnected from the people they are supposed to serve. Unfortunately, the funded cultural sector reflects this failure of representation. Jury for Joy offers a glimpse into an alternative future, one where decisions about creativity and culture are made by representative groups of people from all walks of life. We believe that the approach doesn’t just promise more equitable outcomes, it fosters community connections, ownership and agency.
But as well as the excitement, we also feel trepidation. We expect our collaboration with Everyone Here to be just as challenging as it is exciting. Jury for Joy is an experiment that blends the conventional citizens’ jury model with immersive creative experiences. There are going to be lots of things we don’t get right the first time round. We will need to look after everyone on this journey, especially the members of the West Cumbrian community who lead the decision-making process. One key principle is to be open with everyone about all the wrong moves we make as well as the things that go well. By being honest throughout, we hope that Jury for Joy can inspire change, not just in West Cumbria but across the UK.
Creativity isn’t just about art or culture, it’s about how we envision and build our communities. Jury for Joy invites us all to imagine a future where everyone’s voice matters, where creativity flourishes in every corner, and where joy is a collective creation. We hope you will be up for being part of this adventure.
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