A European model based on the citizens’ commission
Concomitentes adapts the model of the Nouveaux commanditaires, created in France in 1990. This model allows groups of people to commission a work of art to respond to a specific need in their environment, with the accompaniment of cultural mediation.
The process begins with a citizen initiative. From it, an artistic commission is defined, that is, a creative proposal that can adopt different formats depending on the situation posed. Cultural mediation organises the dialogue between the group and the artist, structures the project and accompanies its development until its realisation.
The result is an intervention linked to the place and those who have promoted it, whose value is defined by its use and its meaning for the community.
Structure and actors of the programme
Each project brings together three main figures: the group of commissioning parties, who propose the initiative; the artist, who develops the proposal; and cultural mediation, who facilitates the process.
In Spain, the programme is articulated through the Concomitentes association and a network of mediators linked to different territories. Among them are profiles such as Felipe G. Gil (ZEMOS98), Fran Quiroga or Verónica Valentini, who accompany projects in specific contexts.
The funding combines structural support from the Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation with contributions from public administrations and other actors. The promoter groups do not finance the work, but participate in the definition of the project and in the search for allies.
This model makes it possible to articulate projects in which citizen initiative, artistic creation and institutional collaboration converge.
Project development and scope
The development of each project follows a defined sequence: formulation of the initiative, construction of the artistic commission, production and commissioning. This framework allows each intervention to be adapted to its context and ensure its continuity.
Since its implementation in Spain, the programme has promoted different processes in several territories. Among them are projects such as Pediatric ICU, aimed at improving emotional care in a hospital; Legado Cuidado, focused on heritage in Galicia; or Diversorium, which addresses social inclusion through art.
These initiatives show how the programme works on various issues, from health to heritage or social cohesion, always based on proposals from the community itself.
Public calls and activities
Access to the programme is articulated through calls for proposals and the direct support of proposals. These calls allow new initiatives to be identified and their development to be structured in different phases.
In addition to the production of works, Concomitentes promotes public activities, professional meetings and training programs in cultural mediation. These actions contribute to consolidating a network of work and sharing learning between projects and territories.
