Democracy as Creative Practice

Tom Borrup is Senior Lecturer and Director of Graduate Studies for the Arts and Cultural Leadership and Civic Engagement Programs at the University of Minnesota and a community and cultural planning consultant.Andrew Zitcer is an associate professor at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, where he directs the Urban Strategy graduate program.

"Borrup and Zitcer strike a timely proposition for the critical role of creative practices to advance cultures of democracy. In the face of current forces that threaten the foundations of democracies around the world, Democracy as a Creative Practice assembles fresh, inspiring, and instructive stories by frontline creative practitioners responding to these threats in a range of rural, urban, educational, municipal, and community settings and contexts. Field thought leaders introduce thematically organized essays layering in illuminating theory and reflections that lend depth and new insights and reverberate throughout the book."Pam Korza and Barbara Schaffer Bacon, former Co-directors, Animating Democracy, a program of Americans for the Arts"In a time of deepening gloom about democracy, Tom Borrup and Andrew Zitcer’s edited collection, with examples of cultural organizing from around the world, is a source of hope and inspiration. The book is particularly valuable for its detailed look at cultural workers and citizen artists on the front lines of civic renewal and democracy building."Harry C. Boyte, Emeritus Senior Scholar, Augsburg University, author, Awakening Democracy through Public Work "I really couldn’t grasp the fullness and urgency of Borrup and Zitcer's book until recent events in the U.S. made it very clear to me. Democracy is not just a political system—it is a culture, a way of being and relating that not only accepts difference but builds upon it and with it. That work of the loom, the weaving of difference and separation into an ever evolving whole, is the work for each of us. This book shines a light on art and culture workers as weavers of democracy at the grassroots. May we take the message to heart: no matter who we are or what we do, we can be the catalysts for strengthening the vital fabric of our democracy."Patricia A. Wilson, Professor Emeritus, Graduate Program in Community and Regional Planning, University of Texas"Democracy as Creative Practice makes an important contribution to interdisciplinary scholarship by articulating clear connections between cultural practices and democratic vitality. It serves as both an inspiring call to action and a practical guide for practitioners, scholars, and students committed to enhancing democratic life. The book’s accessibility and relevance extend beyond academic readership, making it valuable for policymakers, funders, and community leaders seeking innovative approaches to civic renewal."Jae-an Crisman, review for Cultural Trends"This work fundamentally challenges the artificial separation between cultural and civic workthat characterizes much of our community development practices....Democracy as Creative Practice should be essential reading for community development practitioners, planners, and anyone involved in participatory democracy work. The book successfully bridges theory and practice, offering both conceptual frameworks and concrete methodologies. It is equally valuable for academics and students, not only as a counterargument to traditional views of democracy but also as a reminder that the world we study does not stop at the doors of the classroom."Kathleen Fitzsimmons López, review for Local Developmnet & Society

• Introduction: The Unraveling of Democracy and Reweaving Civic Life Part One: Place-Based Actions Introduction to Place-Based Actions: Following the Thread of Place-Based Actions 1. Repurposing Agricultural Infrastructure to Build Cultures of Democracy in Rural Communities: A Case Study from North-West Victoria 2. Lake Street Arts! – Creative Democracy in Practice 3. How "Creative Recovery" Stimulates a Culture of Democracy: Case Studies of Post-Disaster Creativity in Rural Australia 4. Democracy as Demonstration: A Lifelong, Dreamed of, Home Part Two: Aesthetic Strategies Introduction to Aesthetic Strategies: Remaking Worlds and Ourselves: Aesthetic Strategies for a Culture of Democracy 5. Co-Creating Democracy: Aesthetics in Action 6. Braiding Comedy in Precarious Times: The Possibilities and Pitfalls of Research Creation in the Settler Colonial University 7. Mediating Provisional Communities: The Production and Management of Collaborative Arts Projects Part Three: Learning Environments Introduction to Learning Environments: Learning and Practice - Democracty in Action 8. Reflections on Doing Visual Politics: Photography, Collaboration, and Creative Practice as Civil Action 9. All the Relatives: Animating Stories of Democratic Participation Through Speaking Out 10. The Ray of Hope Project and Women Composers Festival: Reframing Narratives 11. The Power of Storytelling: Practicing a Culture of Democracy With Young Students Part Four: Civic Processes Introduction to Civic Processes: Get With It: A Play of Civic Processes 12. Democracy Is in the Making: Just Act’s Model for Rehumanizing Community Engagement 13. Creating Our Next LA: Art Animating Powerful Congregation-Based Campaigns for Justice 14. Warm Cookies of the Revolution: A Case Study of Democratic Culture Through the Framework of Civic Health 15. Civic Artists Reimagining Democracy 16. “The Most Optimistic Way I Have of Envisioning Our Collective Future” Editors’ Summary and Conclusion