Futures X Art X Change: Where Are We Now?
Four conversations on the “state of the art” happened online on July 1-10, 2025
Across the world, many individuals, institutions and informal groups are and have been working at the crossroads between futures, art, and social/ecological change. U+ itself was created 6 years ago with a mission “to explore and open possibilities for the emergence of empowering, just and sustainable futures, by mobilizing resources of the imagination (art, fiction, speculation…)”
It was time to take stock: What have we all tried and learned? What works and doesn’t work? How have we changed? How do current global changes impact our practices? What are the next challenges, the next research questions?…
Listen to the online conversations that took place between July 1 and 10 between a member of U+’s team, a guest, and some participants, around the following questions:
Should futures be “desirable” and lead to “action”?
July 1 (English):
Thomas Gauthier (Lyon School of Management) & Daniel Kaplan (U+, project: The Emerging Enterprise)
How to do participatory futures beyond the usual suspects, with all those concerned?
July 2 (French):
Elvire Bornand (Plan 9) & Ketty Steward (U+, project: Citadins, Citadines 2050)
What if futuring was a capability accessible to everyone, as opposed to experts?
July 2 (English):
Fisayo Oyewale, Ijun Kim (Unicef Innocenti) & Chloé Luchs (U+, project: Future Is Now)
How can the future help young people find their voice and be heard in global conversations?
July 10 (English):
Lourdes Rodriguez (Teach The Future) & Rose Rondelez (U+ project: WTFutures)
