Conference Agenda

The increasing concentration of the art market in the hands of a few dominant players raises significant concerns regarding its social, cultural, and economic sustainability. This research proposal examines alternative models aimed at fostering a more democratic, inclusive, and participatory art market by leveraging social innovations to restructure the contemporary art economy. Drawing inspiration from Documenta Fifteen (2022), which foregrounded collective practices such as lumbung—a resource-sharing model rooted in collaboration and sustainability—this study explores transformative approaches to address systemic inequities within the art sector. The investigation focuses on three areas of intervention. First, it considers digital cooperative platforms managed by artistic communities, which facilitate equitable value distribution while promoting collective decision-making and collaboration. Second, it examines shared ownership models enabled by blockchain technologies, such as fractional ownership and tokenization, which democratize access to art collecting for broader audiences while ensuring transparency and traceability. Third, it proposes alternative evaluation frameworks that integrate social and cultural impact metrics alongside traditional market parameters, redefining how value is assessed within the art economy. The research builds on case studies of existing initiatives and pilot projects, including Art Again’s circular economy model and blockchain-based platforms for fractional ownership, to evaluate their effectiveness in promoting equity and accessibility. Special attention is devoted to identifying structural barriers—such as systemic inequalities—and proposing strategies to overcome them. By situating this analysis within broader debates on cultural democratization and social innovation, this proposal offers actionable insights into rethinking the art market’s functioning in a manner prioritizing inclusivity, sustainability, and societal impact.

The objective of this research is to explore the memory of the actors of creations at Paris 8, from generation to generation, from Franck Popper (Nechataval, 2004) to the present day, passing through Jean-Pierre Balpe, Marie-Hélène Tramus and Jean-Louis Boissier, moving beyond the walls in time and space (Riot, 2009). Our focus is on the field of digital creation (Eymet 2016) which, through disciplines not yet taught at the university in the 80s such as hypermedia and artificial intelligence, forges (Citton 2010) a path in the academic sphere until today even as Paris 8 proclaims itself "the university of creations".

We conceive this project in an exploratory and interdisciplinary approach that aims to develop an editorial environment by collecting traces and cross-referencing points of view.

A first version of this editorial environment will have been tested during the colloquium dedicated to the work of Jean-Pierre Balpe on June 12 and 13, 2025 (cf. https://balpe2025.sciencesconf.org/). It will be based on a digital device called "Freloche" which stages the analogy of the garden and butterfly hunting to stimulate the memorial reactions of the colloquium participants with images from digitized collections, notably those of Paris 8 (https://octaviana.fr/). The objective is to initiate a dialogue through time (mellification) which takes several forms: focus groups, individual interviews. We wish to experiment with a new version of this environment by exploring this time the movement through space (pollination), during the SOCIN 2025 "Rethinking Innovation" conference to broaden the network of actors and the potential for expressing a common memory.

Social innovation is often heralded as a tool for driving societal progress and tackling the world's most pressing issues. However, traditional paradigms of innovation frequently overlook the intersecting challenges of gender inequality and the preservation of cultural heritage. This paper reimagines social innovation by centering on inclusive practices that embrace gendered perspectives and cultural diversity, offering novel and interdisciplinary approaches to global challenges.

Drawing from fields such as anthropology, social policy, and the visual arts, this research explores how inclusive and interdisciplinary methodologies can contribute to a more equitable future. The paper highlights the importance of gender-sensitive approaches in designing social innovation, especially within contexts of cultural heritage conservation and community engagement. By integrating gender equality and cultural preservation into the innovation process, we can foster a more holistic response to global crises such as social inequality, environmental degradation, and the loss of cultural identities.

Through case studies and theoretical frameworks, the paper discusses how interdisciplinary research and practice can facilitate sustainable and inclusive social change. The role of education, policy, and community-driven initiatives is examined, aiming to provide practical insights into how we can cultivate inclusive solutions that empower marginalized groups and promote social well-being.

This paper calls for a rethinking of innovation as not merely a technological or economic phenomenon but as a tool for fostering inclusivity, cultural preservation, and social justice. By centering gender and cultural considerations within innovation, we can shape a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.

The extended use of digital technologies in physical and artificial environments where biological systems and objects coexist, has enabled artists to design and implement new forms of art that we call “Extended Arts” [1], [2], [3]. We define this as a space, where the physical meets the digital, and a process that brings together art, design, and technology [4], [5]. Extending Arts’ can be thought as a practice and an educational process that applies a holistic design approach to the domain of creative arts and focus in bringing together artists, scientists and philosophers [6]. Extending content, for instance, may be supported by games narratives, hybrid creative approaches, multimodal interfaces, user experience, open-source coding, strategic networking with the public and the artistic community. The aim of the proposed paper is to provide notions, tools and strategies to design and experience inclusive arts by facilitating the access of artists to new technologies including AI, by unveiling how pioneering artistic practices shape our future, and by investigating the experience of artistic works in public spaces, accessible by all citizens [7].

These considerations are central to the ERUA PLEIADE cluster and are developed via numerous actions presented in this paper, aiming at the institution of a European Doctoral School on Inclusive Arts.

References are included as Remarks on this Contribution..