In this manifesto, social policy knowledge centres Demos (Belgium) and CAL-xl (Netherlands) set out their vision for key stakeholders to form local, lasting strategic alliances that jointly commission participatory art practices. To achieve their vision, they call on collaborative partnerships between four parties: artists; government; care, welfare and other social organisations; and art organisations.

The manifesto looks at these two key questions:
• How do you discuss the power of participatory art practices for a society in transition, without getting caught up in typical contrasts such as artistic versus social, public versus private, instrumentalisation versus autonomy?
• How do you develop a language that allows artists, social organisations, policy-makers and art organisations to enter into a constructive dialogue?

Demos and CAL-XL, Translated by Trienekens S. & Wouter Hillaert W. (2015). Art in transition. Manifesto for participatory art practices. Brussels: Demos.