Why do we need a creative bureaucracy?
The many complex challenges we face need a radical shift in thinking and culture.
People who work for governments need to feel uplifted and energized if we are to benefit from their creativity, curiosity, humanity and insights. This needs a huge cultural and perception shift - both inside and outside of government.
New types of partnership and collaboration – across all parts of society - are essential and rely on highly developed soft skills - we need different perspectives, co-creation, experimentation and continual learning.
Yet many people feel isolated in government when they should feel part of learning communities – so many challenges are shared but there is very little infrastructure for sharing and learning together.
Part of a global movement
The Creative Bureaucracy Festival was founded in Berlin in partnership with the Falling Walls Foundation. Starting with a successful take-off event in 2018 at the Humboldt University of Berlin, the annual June gathering now attracts participation from over 100 partner institutions and thousands of international participants from government, politics, civil society and other change-making organisations.
In 2024, the year started with the festival’s Digital Kick-Off Day on 21 March 2024. The live festival will take place on 13 June 2024 in Berlin.
Image Credit: Creative Bureaucracy Festival
It’s impact continues to grow as it builds momentum across the globe with a number of Creative Bureaucracy Festival Hubs and associated events building regional communities of practice.
We are united by our shared vision to empower public servants, revitalise bureaucracy, and strengthen democracy across the globe,
Three key pillars of the Creative Bureaucracy Festival:
Rethink the rules and incentives so that they are appropriate for our times
Reimagine the inner life of bureaucracies so that people can operate at their best
Recreate new relationships with the outer world – civic, business, university - based on mutual respect
Image Credit: Creative Bureaucracy Festival
Image Credit: Creative Bureaucracy Festival
Our shared ethos and spirit:
From the public sector, for the public sector
Everyone is equal – no special titles or introductions
Inexpensive to attend, open to all
Recognises the pioneers and unsung heroes of public value creation
Values small and big ideas. Spans disciplinary boundaries. Honest reflections about challenges
Fresh thought, diverse in style, and "constructively anarchist"
A celebration of the courage, energy and spirit that creative bureaucrats bring to public service
Creative Bureaucracy in Australian & New Zealand
Inspired by the Creative Bureaucracy Festival in Berlin, and the global movement it has initiated, a small group of passionate Australian and New Zealanders have come together to create the Creative Bureaucracy Festival Australian and New Zealand Hub.
Our vision
To build a bigger conversation about public values, creativity and public service.
To celebrate a more confident, outward looking, braver and ethical public service.
To challenge existing narratives and showcase examples of what is possible, what has been achieved.
To explore how to transform the lived experience of working in, with, and alongside government.
Image Credit: Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash
Will you join us to inspire creativity within the public sector?
To start this journey, we are planning a grassroots, community-led and distributed program of small events in October 2024 across Australia and New Zealand.
If you want to be involved - we’d love to hear from you!
Image Credit: Creative Bureaucracy Festival