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Call for contributions – 05.03.2025

Conference: Commons and commoning in/for cultural production

4-5 September 2025, Romantso Cultural Hub, Athens, Greece

The conference marks the end of the GLAMMONS project, which aimed to explore practices (concerning management, financial sustainability and participation) that have emerged around small-scale, community-led GLAMS (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) through the theoretical lens of the commons. The project aimed to inspire commoning practices around GLAMs and beyond, and bring to the fore best practices that can respond to challenges that commons-oriented cultural organisations face. 

 

We welcome contributions that build on empirical and/or theoretical approaches and we are particularly interested in critical contributions about the development of commons in cultural organisations from different academic perspectives, such as cultural studies, cultural economics, urban and cultural geography, sociology, management studies, labour studies, political sciences etc. We also welcome contributions from practitioners that would like to showcase their commons-oriented cultural organisations and discuss their challenges and practices.

The conference will be organised around six thematic panels, where each participant will have around 15 minutes to present their work.

After the conference, all contributors will be invited to submit their paper for publication to an edited book on commons and commoning in/for cultural production.

 

Keynote Speakers

Alice Borchi, University of Leeds

Ana Margarida Esteves, Center for International Studies of the University Institute of Lisbon

Andreas Exner, University of Graz

Amanda Huron, University of the District of Columbia

Alexandros Kioupkiolis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Prodromos Tsiavos, Onassis Foundation

Abstracts can focus on one or more of the following thematic panels:

 

1. Management and participatory practices under commons

• Participation and co-curation in museums and cultural institutions: challenges and good practices
• The past as a commons resource: Community narratives, traditional knowledge and heritage-making 
• Effective tools and mechanisms for horizontal decision-making in GLAMs and other cultural organisations 

 

2. Networks and Intercommoning

• In what kind of networks commons-oriented organisations participate and draw resources?
• How can relations and networks with other commons (housing, energy, agrofood) assist and further stabilize commons- oriented GLAMs and commons from other fields of cultural production?
• How do Diverse and Community Economies enable commoning in cultural production?

 

3. Commons-enabling infrastructures: Relationalised finance, volunteer labour and other resources

• What resources (financial and other) are needed for enabling and sustaining commoning in the field of culture? 
• What are the social, financial, political or legal barriers, resistances and opportunities for supporting commoning in the field of culture? 
• What financial practices support commoning without the predatory extraction of conventional finance or the bureaucratic procedures that come with state support? 
• What are the challenges of communal volunteer labour in commons-oriented cultural organisations and initiatives? 

 

4. Values and co-creation practices in/for commoning

• What values inform different practices of cultural commons?
• How can cultural commons build collective sense of purpose?
• How to assess the importance of different clusters (cultural, social, societal) of values?

 

5. Digital commons and cultural accessibility

• Repositories and their functions for culture and GLAMs
• What are the digital tools for increasing access and engagement in cultural heritage and GLAM collections?
• How can digital commons inform sectorial practices of heritage and culture institutions?

 

6. Policies for enabling commoning practices in cultural production

• What is the role of the state (in various spatial scales) in enabling and sustaining commons-oriented cultural production?
• What good practices/ policies exist for mobilising and sustaining commoning processes?
• Public and private sector synergies? Terms and conditions for serving public benefit

 

Important dates and guidelines 

• Deadline for abstracts submission: 30 June 2025 (please indicate the thematic panel you would like to contribute to)
• Send your abstracts at glammons.pmo@gmail.com
• Notification of accepted abstracts: 15 July 2025
• Length of abstracts: Maximum 300 words. All titles and abstracts must be written in English.
• The conference has no fee.

 

Free accommodation for early career researchers

We aim to offer 12 bursaries to cover accommodation and lunches (3-6 September 2025) for early career researchers (post-doctoral researchers, PhD candidates, etc.) to join the conference and present their contribution. In order to be considered for free accommodation, please send us your CV along with the abstract by the 30th of June 2025.

 

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Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences | Technische Universität Berlin | NOVA ISKRA | Inpolis Urbanism GmbH | CREARE Social | MAZOMOS Landscape and Heritage Consultants | Burgundy School of Business – BSB  | European Creative Hubs Network

#GLAMMONS #HorizonEU #commons #OpenScience #OpenAccess #ResearchImpactEU #EUresearch

 

 

Press Kit:

Click here to access the Press Kit.

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The GLAMMONS project reimagines Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums (GLAMs) as dynamic, participatory and commons-oriented organisations that thrive on community engagement, meaningful participation, and co-creation. Across the EU, local commons-oriented initiatives – such as neighbourhood libraries, oral history archives and community museums – are emerging in urban, rural, and peripheral areas. These initiatives hold significant cultural and social value, strengthening community bonds, promoting inclusivity, social cohesion, and advancing social justice. GLAMMONS invites heritage and culture professionals, as well as cultural commoners, to help unlock the past and use cultural heritage as a resource for current and future social development.

GLAMMONS highlights inspiring examples of GLAMs operating as commons in countries such as Greece, the Netherlands, Germany, and Serbia. Each case exemplifies the importance of community engagement, volunteerism, and the preservation of cultural and historical resources. The nine cases outlined below share a commitment to creating and sustaining accessible spaces for knowledge-sharing and cultural enrichment, while often adapting to evolving circumstances and community needs. They overcome financial constraints, address challenges of community engagement, and discover innovative ways to ensure sustainability. These cases offer practical guidance for others wishing to embark on similar initiatives.  

GLAM professionals and academics are invited to collaborate and share their own experience on a dedicated platform.

Case Studies:

Case #1: The Oral History Groups in Greece

A unique network of bottom-up, self-organised initiatives focused on the creation and dissemination of oral history archives. Research by Mina Dragouni and Dimitris Pettas (Panteion University).

Read more

Case #2: The Contemporary Social History Archives (ASKI) in Athens

Established in 1992 as a civic non-profit organisation, ASKI preserves the history and memory of Greek leftist political and social movements. It brings together a community of experts interested in the genealogy and biography of the Greek New Left. Research by Mina Dragouni and Dimitris Pettas (Panteion University).

Read more

Case #3: The Schwules Museum in Berlin

Focusing on LGBTQ+ history and culture, this museum remains adaptable to changing demands while maintaining a strong volunteer presence. It combines political expression, scientific archival work, exhibitions, and workshops within an association structure. Research by Ares Kalandides, Bastian Lange, and Georgios Thodos (Inpolis)

Read more

Case #4: The SciArt Project of the Joint Research Centre

An emerging community of practice at the intersection of science, art and policy. Research by Lyudmila Petrova and Arjo Klamer (CREARE).

Read more

Case #5: Vrij Paleis (Free Palace) in Amsterdam

A creative space commited to co-creation and collective ownership. Research by Lyudmila Petrova and Arjo Klamer (CREARE).

Read more

Case #6: Heritage House of South Holland (Erfgoedhuis Zuid-Holland-HHSH) in Delft

Challenging conventional ideas about heritage by transforming the curatorial process. Research by Lyudmila Petrova and Arjo Klamer (CREARE).

Read more

Case #7: Ekatarina Pavlovic Library in Serbia

Employing feminist pedagogy to foster critical thinking, creativity, and civic awareness in an underprivileged region. Research by Miljana Milojković (Nova Iskra), Ares Kalandides, Bastian Lange, and Georgios Thodos (Inpolis).

Read more

Case #8: Ostavinska Gallery in Belgrade

Operating as part of Magacin, a self-organized and self-managed cultural center in Belgrade. Research by Miljana Milojković (Nova Iskra), Ares Kalandides, Bastian Lange, and Georgios Thodos (Inpolis).

Read more

Case #9: The Associazione Bastione in Turin

An independent art space that exemplifies a powerful model of cultural and artistic practice grounded in artistic and economic autonomy, long-term personal commitment and collaboration. Research by Lyudmila Petrova and Matilde Ferrero (CREARE).

Read more

Key Insights:

“The research revealed that three key organizational modes emerged in response to these challenges: top-down professional consultancy, bottom-up semi-professional practices, and routinized participatory modes. These modes reflected the growing diversity of duties and thematic focuses within the museum but also highlighted the tensions between professional management and volunteer-driven governance.”

-Ares Kalandides, Inpolis (Except from “How GLAM Institutions Are Rewriting the Rulebook: Adapting to the Post-Pandemic and Digital Age?”).

“What sets Bestemming bereikt? apart is its pioneering shift from traditional curating to a collaborative, community-focused process. Professionals and local people worked hand in hand to create an exhibition that celebrated the stories and identities of its creators as much as the objects on display.”

-Lyudmila Petrova and Arjo Klamer, CREARE (Except from “Co-curating history: The Bestemming bereikt? Exhibition”).

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For its 5th meeting, the Consortium of the Glammons project ( CREARE Social, NOVA ISKRA, Technische Universität Berlin, European Creative Hubs Network, Burgundy School of Business – BSB, MAZOMOS Landscape and Heritage Consultants; Inpolis Urbanism GmbH) led by Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences gathered in Brussels.

Over the course of two days, 23-24 February, hosted by MAZOMOS Landscape and Heritage Consultants at Maison de la Poste, the partners discussed insights from the experimental workshops, new tools to be developed, the evaluation framework for the Glams of the Commons, digital strategy, policy recommendations, skills development, the drafting of a code of conduct, and the project’s next steps for its final year.

Additionally, they presented the project and its results to policy officers during a workshop at the European Research Executive Agency (REA) , followed by a guided tour at the House of European History.