Creative Placemaking through Performance Art

Overview

Collaborating with photographer, activist, and multimedia artist Moyo Oyelola, we created a powerful fusion of performance art and policy critique on government administrative procedures for the 2023 Global Social and Solidarity Economy Forum (GSEF) in Dakar, Senegal. The project centered around launching a new branch, "Department of the People + Process," under the fictional Division of False Authority. This interactive activation was adapted to align with the conference theme, French language, and local cultural contexts to provoke thought and dialogue among attendees.

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Overview

Collaborating with photographer, activist, and multimedia artist Moyo Oyelola, we created a powerful fusion of performance art and policy critique on government administrative procedures for the 2023 Global Social and Solidarity Economy Forum (GSEF) in Dakar, Senegal. The project centered around launching a new branch, "Department of the People + Process," under the fictional Division of False Authority. This interactive activation was adapted to align with the conference theme, French language, and local cultural contexts to provoke thought and dialogue among attendees.

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Deliverables

Partnership Development

Performance Art

Cross-Cultural Communications

Considerations for Policy Design

Challenges

To create an engaging and thought-provoking experience that would resonate across a dynamic audience of civil society actors from 37 countries. The project needed to adapt Moyo Oyelola's work to this context, encouraging participants to reflect on their interactions with government agencies and generate tangible behavior shifts. Through reflection, inquiry, and dialogue throughout the exhibit, visitors were invited to consider how service and experience design influence the perception of and engagement with governmental institutions.

Approach

To create an engaging and thought-provoking experience that would resonate across a dynamic audience of civil society actors from 37 countries. The project needed to adapt Moyo Oyelola's work to this context, encouraging participants to reflect on their interactions with government agencies and generate tangible behavior shifts. Through reflection, inquiry, and dialogue throughout the exhibit, visitors were invited to consider how service and experience design influence the perception of and engagement with governmental institutions.

Results

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Results: The "Department of the People + Process" activation sparked dialogue on improving government processes to enhance citizen experiences. By blending art with policy critique, the project engaged a broad audience to explore questions about imagination, relationships, and personal experiences with institutions that are affixed between realized and unrealized opportunities. The activation highlighted the power of art in civic engagement, demonstrating how creative approaches can inspire meaningful discussions on process improvement and service design.