Practice for the Future: Participatory, Transformative Practices in Music and Design
In a world calling for change, our workshop seeks to ignite the spark of collective transformation by merging the realms of collaboratively making musik and design.
We are driven by a vision where participatory practices empower individuals to reclaim their futures, making them both the creators and catalysts of profound social and ecological shifts.
Workshop Concept:
This 120-minute workshop invites participants to delve into the potent intersection of creative expression and socio-political engagement. Divided into three immersive segments, we will:
- look at co-design methods as a pathway to political and activist engagement, breaking down barriers and amplifying marginalized voices.
- engage in an interactive session where we explore Vocal Painting, a technique fostering spontaneous, musical self-expression, encouraging participants to raise their own voices, embedded in a collaborative creative process.
- reflect, discuss and transfer the learnings from this session and work on our re:publica workshop concepts.
License & reuse
We believe in sharing and remixing good ideas. Unless otherwise noted, the materials provided here — including the Practice for the Future workshop flow, roles, and code of conduct — were developed by Anne Karrenbrock and Klara Hens and are shared under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
You are warmly invited to reuse, adapt, and build upon them — just remember to credit the authors.If you find them helpful or have thoughts to share, I’d love to hear your feedback.
If you use or reference these materials, please cite them as follows:
Karrenbrock, A., & Hens, K. (2025a). Code of Conduct for Participatory Workshops – Awareness – Let’s Take Care of Each Other. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.15622420
Karrenbrock, A., & Hens, K. (2025b). Roles: Practice for the Future – Participatory, Transformative Practices in Choirs and Design. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.15622487
Karrenbrock, A., & Hens, K. (2025c). Workshop Flow: Practice for the Future – Participatory, Transformative Practices in Choirs and Design. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.15622261
Workshop Programme
• Arrival & check-in
• Warm-up 'Power & Decision'
• "Theoretical" Input
• Vocal Painting introduction
• Group-based Sound Co-Creation
• Transfer & Reflection
• Closing circle
Materials
Code of Conduct
Awareness – Let’s Take Care of Each Other
In this workshop, we’re creating together. That requires trust, care, and shared responsibility. These are our awareness principles:
Boundaries matter
Please name your own boundaries – physical, emotional, vocal.
Respect the boundaries of others – even if you don’t fully understand them at first.
Participation is always voluntary. You're welcome to just be here, observe, or take space – and your level of engagement can change at any time.
Touch is never assumed. If any exercise involves contact, we’ll always ask first – and ‘no’ is always valid.
This is not a therapeutic space. If you talk about difficult or potentially traumatic experiences: Speak in headlines, not in detail.
Only share what feels safe – for you and for others listening.
You can always say: “I have experience with this, but I won’t go into detail here.”
You don’t owe anyone your story.
Skills are placed in the center
In the center of the room, you’ll find small tools and ideas – to support yourself and others.
If you’re not feeling well: You are allowed to step back. You are allowed to ask for help. You are allowed to just be.
Taking Discrimination seriously
Be mindful of your language and behavior. When harm happens, we commit to listening and changing.
If someone points out something discriminatory you said or did:
Listen. Ask questions. Be open to reflecting and changing.
It’s not about blame – it’s about responsibility and learning together.
It’s okay if conflict arises – it means we care. Let’s stay curious, not accusatory. If something feels unresolved, reach out or take space to process.
Please share your name and pronouns if you want to. We commit to using them correctly – and we’ll correct ourselves if we get it wrong
Do you have specific access needs?
If you have access needs (e.g. dimmed lights, a quieter space, translation support):
Talk to Klara or Anne. We’ll do our best to support you.
Roles
The one brave enough
You are brave enough to voice what others might only think. You question things, ask seemingly 'stupid' questions, and help uncover blind spots. Your task: irritation, curiosity, clarity.
Suggested mindset: naive, honest, questioning, radically unclear
Example sentences:
• Wait – what exactly do we mean by …?
• I’m not sure I understand this – can someone explain it again?
• Why are we doing it this way – could we flip it completely?
• This might be a silly question, but… ?
• What if the opposite were true?
• I don’t understand …, can you explain again?
The dreamer (believes in utopia)
You think big. You keep the vision alive when things get pragmatic, narrow, or cynical. You remind us that design includes hope – and that imagining the unlikely is allowed. Your task: open up space, not close it.
Suggested mindset: visionary, poetic, optimistic, open
Example sentences:
• What if we were free to completely reimagine this?
• I dream of a world where … would be a given.
• I know this might sound naive – but I believe it’s possible.
• Could we design something that is truly accessible to everyone?
• What would this look like if we …?
Timekeeper
You keep an eye on time – with care and presence. You remind us gently when it’s time to move on or ask if we need more space. Your task: help everyone be heard – without pressure.
Suggested mindset: kind, clear, focused, calm
Example sentences:
• We’ve got five minutes left for this – should we dive deeper or wrap up?
• Just a quick time check: … minutes remaining.
• We’re running over time – shall we adjust?
• Do you want more time, or shall I invite us into the next phase?
• Gentle reminder: we have … Minutes left.
Workshop Timing Overview:
• Arrival & check-in
• Warm-up 'Power & Decision'
• "Theoretical" Input
• Vocal Painting introduction
• Group-based Sound Co-Creation
• Transfer & Reflection
• Closing circle
The moderator
(from phase 5 onwards)
You facilitate our group discussions from the reflection phase onward. You make sure all voices are heard, support the process, and help make thoughts visible. Your task: enable understanding – not control.
Suggested mindset: attentive, structuring, supportive, balanced
Example sentences:
• Let’s do a quick round – one thought from everyone?
• Can someone summarize what’s been said so far?
• I feel like we’re going in circles – what do we need to move on?
• Let’s pause – are there voices we haven’t heard yet?
• Can we agree on a shared way forward?
• May I stop you here to open the space for other voices again?
Transfer
Questions
What felt important, but often gets overlooked in typical workshop settings?
What did this experience have in common with workshops you know?
Which dynamics or patterns did you notice – in leading, following, contributing?
What just happened – in you, between you, in the group?
Further develop your (participatory) format for the re:publica
In your group, further develop your (participatory) format that builds on at least one of the principles we explored in the workshop – such as resonance as response, dynamic leadership, tuning as a method, embodied sense-making, improvisation as structure, …
You are free to choose how you present your idea, but make it tangible – this could be a part of your workshop that we go through together, a sketch, a short performance, a poster, a physical prototype, a fictional story… whatever medium best expresses your concept.
Each group has 7 minutes for their presentation.