Artists as agents of change

Artistic activism is one strategy for change towards democracy in transformation processes. In Tunisia, political uprisings began in 2010, leading to countrywide protests and the fall of the dictatorship. Artists and cultural activists have been socio-political actors defining new formats of artistic expression and new roles – as a strategic, constructive, and reflective civil society. This shift is analysed by taking the example of three contemporary art festivals in public space (Dream City, De Colline en Colline, and Interference).
Furthermore, German foreign cultural policy and the Goethe-Institut also supported democratic movements, thus a reorientation of policies was implemented due to new tasks, challenges, and opportunities. This study shows that the oft-demanded approach of cooperation in international cultural cooperation must be reconsidered in transformation processes. For this reason, a paradigm shift in foreign cultural policy advocates the development of cooperation towards ownership of local cultural actors.