The eighth and closing session was facilitated by Dr. Nishant Shah and Dr. Padmini Ray Murray as they discussed the key learnings from the programme.
The session began with the 3-2-1 exercise:
3 things learned from the experience;
2 things that required deeper exploration;
1 thing that needed to be discussed more.
Dr. Shah asked the cohort to think about digital as a space with process and intention. He pointed towards a focus on economies of intensity instead of economies of scale - a network that circulates information not as a default but one that intensifies and circulates with care. The key to moving forward is a movement from individual to collective, to question what institutional spaces stand for, and how arts and culture can bring value to society.
Dr. Ray Murray reminded the cohort that the digital space is not in opposition to the physical; the two can co-exist. She encouraged them to bring the conversation to the community while working with them. Digital allows for the possibility of scale, but also allows for the opposite of scale - a different type of intimacy. Being digital does not always mean being networked. Understanding the way audiences interact with the digital is crucial - they cannot make assumptions about it.
As inflow and funding for the arts reduce, organisations must collaborate. One must push for democratisation of digital spaces. The way forward is collective.
