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Democreation: Exploring Democracy Through Art, Food and Collective Imagination
Hosted by Teatro Munganga in Amsterdam, Democreation brought together artists, activists, researchers and community members for an evening of performances, food, discussion and collective reflection on the meaning of democracy. Through dance, music, storytelling, film and conversation, participants explored how arts and culture can create spaces for participation, connection and democratic imagination. The event highlighted the power of grassroots cultural initiatives in strengthening democratic values in times of social and political uncertainty.
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Democreation: Exploring Democracy Through Art, Food and Collective Imagination
Hosted by Teatro Munganga in Amsterdam, Democreation brought together artists, activists, researchers and community members for an evening of performances, food, discussion and collective reflection on the meaning of democracy. Through dance, music, storytelling, film and conversation, participants explored how arts and culture can create spaces for participation, connection and democratic imagination. The event highlighted the power of grassroots cultural initiatives in strengthening democratic values in times of social and political uncertainty.
What does democracy feel like?
That was the question at the heart of Democreation, a unique gathering hosted by Teatro Munganga in Amsterdam as part of the Democracy in Action project. Over the course of an afternoon and evening, artists, researchers, activists and community members came together to explore democracy not as an abstract political concept, but as something lived, practiced and experienced together.
The event was curated by Teatro Munganga founders Carlos Lagoeiro and Cláudia Maoli, whose cultural centre has been a fixture of Amsterdam's alternative cultural landscape since the 1980s. Born out of the city's squatter movement, Munganga still occupies its original home today, sharing the building with a collective of fifteen non-profit organisations. Together they manage the space through horizontal decision-making, creating room for affordable cultural programming in a neighbourhood increasingly shaped by gentrification.
In the spirit of the event, participants were first invited to step outside the theatre. Guided by Carlos, Cláudia and moderator Marie Beauchamps, they took part in a walk around the building complex, meeting members of neighbouring collectives and learning about the history of the space. As Carlos explained, before talking about democracy, it was important to “start from the ground” and understand the community that makes this place possible.
Back inside, democracy was explored not through speeches, but through movement. Dutch dancer Anne Walsemann, accompanied by Dutch-Japanese-Brazilian cellist Chieko Donker Duyvis and Senegalese kora musician Bao Sissoko, performed a moving piece that dissolved linguistic and cultural barriers through music and dance. Participants were then invited to join, transforming spectators into collaborators and demonstrating how shared artistic experiences can create connection and trust.
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As evening fell, the theatre was transformed into a communal dining room. Around long tables filled with food, conversation flowed between strangers. Throughout the meal, a series of speakers reflected on different dimensions of democratic participation. Environmental anthropologist Fabio de Castro explored examples of more-than-human democracy, Amsterdam's Climate Mayor Iris Boels spoke about local environmental activism, and trans activist Tarim Nduma Flach reflected on the intersections of gender, race and coloniality in contemporary Dutch society.
Art remained at the centre of the programme. Participants watched A Familiar Scene, a puppet performance by Jeannie Zuiderwijk, André Melo and Carlos Lagoeiro that offered a humorous yet unsettling reflection on Big Tech and rising nationalism. They also viewed Voices About Democracy, a documentary produced by Munganga that brought together perspectives from Brazil and the Netherlands. Between screenings, participants were invited to discuss, write and draw their own reflections on democracy directly onto paper tablecloths covering the dinner tables.
By the end of the evening, the conversations showed little sign of stopping. Some participants continued their discussions outside in the summer air, while others stayed inside to dance to the Brazilian rhythms selected by DJ Neilor.
More than a performance, Democreation was an experiment in democratic practice itself: bringing people together through art, dialogue, food and collective reflection. It demonstrated how cultural spaces can create opportunities for participation, imagination and connection at a time when democratic values often feel under pressure.
We would like to thank Carlos Lagoeiro, Cláudia Maoli, Marie Beauchamps, Anne Walsemann, Chieko Donker Duyvis, Bao Sissoko, Fabio de Castro, Iris Boels, Tarim Nduma Flach, DJ Neilor, all volunteers at Teatro Munganga, and everyone who contributed to making this inspiring gathering possible.
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