art for public – montpellier

Our DIALOG CITY ART FOR PUBLIC RESIDENCY PROGRAMME invites professional artists to develop ideas for urban interventions dealing with local or global topics that are of great significance for the respective urban society based on participatory approach. By developing new practices on how to connect digital innovation directly to citizens’ physical participation, the European cooperation project DIALOG CITY aims at contributing to increasing access to culture through a dialogical approach. Co-creation is at the core, encompassing a CITIZEN ARCHIVE PLATFORM for the cultural heritage sector and an innovative design thinking toolkit on FUTURE LITERACY.

Annual FUTURE FESTIVALS serve as physical and digital cultural platforms to reach diverse audiences. Participating European cities are Mondoví (IT) in 2023, Graz (AT) in 2024, Aschaffenburg (DE) and Montpellier (FR) in 2025. The resulting art works of the respective residencies will be shown locally during the FUTURE FESTIVAL as well as online.

For the Montpellier residency we aim to question how human identities and bodies are increasingly shaped by the digital data we produce and consume. Being fed by data, our online profiles reflect analog humans and are continuously constructed through micro-targeting and digital profiling, where personal data is used to tailor content and experiences. In return, this blending of the digital and analog worlds creates new opportunities for self-expression and understanding, yet also raises concerns around identities and self-development. With an uncanny feeling, this flow of information can both expand and limit how we perceive the analog world and ourselves, depending on how we engage with it.