Research Lab

Bridging innovative technologies, policy & speculative design to actively shape cultural futures

Culture Futures Lab

Culture Futures Lab

In an era defined by geopolitical instability, climate crises, and rapid digital transformation, the cultural sector stands at a critical juncture. The old models of arts management and planning are no longer sufficient. The Culture Futures Lab is a pioneering initiative designed to meet this moment. It is a transdisciplinary research and action hub that aims to equip cultural leaders, policymakers, and communities with the foresight, tools, and collaborative networks to navigate uncertainty and build resilient, inclusive, and vibrant cultural ecosystems for the future.

The Lab operates at the nexus of cultural policy, data analytics, technological innovations, and speculative design. We believe that the future is not a predetermined destination to be predicted, but a plurality of possibilities to be actively shaped. Our work is grounded in the understanding that data and technology, when guided by ethical principles and participatory methods, can be powerful allies in this process. We bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical application, developing adaptable frameworks that help cultural practitioners harness the power of predictive analytics and scenario planning without sacrificing artistic or social values.

Drawing on global case studies from the dynamic cultural landscapes of East Asia the Lab investigates how new technologies and innovative approaches can transcend surveillance-oriented cultural management models to foster genuine democratic and creative engagement. We address critical challenges such as algorithmic bias, data sovereignty, and the "disconnected intelligence" of institutional silos. Our mission is to transform cultural governance from a reactive process into an anticipatory and participatory practice, empowering communities to become active stewards of their cultural futures.

Culture Futures Pillars

Our methodology is built upon three interconnected pillars that guide all our research, workshops, and prototyping activities.

Future Building Through Innovation

Future Building Through Innovation

We move beyond simply forecasting trends to actively building better futures. This pillar focuses on harnessing cutting-edge technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) and predictive modeling to anticipate risks and identify opportunities for the creative economy. We explore how technological advancements can inform strategic decision-making, from modeling audience trends and climate threats to heritage sites to understanding AI's impact on creative labor. Our approach is not about technocratic determinism, but about using technology as a lens to create evidence-based, forward-thinking cultural strategies that are ethical, resilient and sustainable.

Participatory Futuring

Participatory Futuring

The future of culture is too important to be left to algorithms or institutions alone. This pillar is dedicated to democratizing the process of imagining what comes next. We employ methods of "participatory futuring" to engage diverse communities in envisioning and shaping their cultural landscapes. Through workshops, co-design sessions, and community outreach activities we challenge top-down planning and incorporate a multitude of voices, epistemologies, and cultural values. This ensures that the futures we build are equitable, inclusive, and reflect the true diversity of human experience, resisting the exclusionary biases often embedded in technological systems.

Speculative Prototyping

Speculative Prototyping

To make alternative futures tangible, we use speculative design and experiential futures. This involves creating physical prototypes, immersive installations, and design fictions that materialize possible cultural scenarios. We develop experiential probes and tangible scenarios that allow communities to interact with, critique, and re-imagine the underlying systems and values of potential governance models. These prototypes are not blueprints, but provocations—tools for critical reflection and public dialogue that make abstract possibilities concrete, fostering a deeper "futures literacy" and enabling more informed choices today.

Research & Activities

The Culture Futures Lab is a dynamic space for investigation and experimentation. Our research activities are interdisciplinary, blending critical policy analysis with hands-on, design-led innovation.

Through this combination of experimental research, practical toolkits, and public engagement, the Culture Futures Lab serves as a vital platform for shaping the inclusive, democratic, and resilient cultural ecosystems of tomorrow.

Cultural Data Governance & Policy

Developing next-generation frameworks for the ethical and effective management of cultural data. Our focus is on creating participatory models that empower communities and enhance public value, moving beyond institutional data silos.

AI Ethics & Equity in the Cultural Sector

Critically examining the application of artificial intelligence across museums, archives, and creative industries. We investigate algorithmic bias, transparency, and data rights to build equitable and accountable technological systems.

Cultural Ecologies & Urban Placemaking

Exploring the role of art, heritage, and digital technology in shaping the future of public space. We use speculative methods to envision how cities can foster resilient, inclusive, and vibrant cultural districts.

Digital Cultural Heritage & Access

Researching the impact of digital reproduction—from 3D modeling to virtual environments—on the preservation, interpretation, and democratization of cultural heritage. We address evolving questions of authenticity, narrative authority, and digital ownership.

Cultural Analytics & Transnational Flows

Employing data visualization and computational methods to map and analyze the global circulation of culture. This research identifies emerging trends, models their impact, and informs strategic decision-making for cultural institutions and policymakers.

Creative Practice & Technological Mediation

Investigating the transformative impact of new technologies on artistic and curatorial work. A key focus is the evolving nature of collaboration between human and artificial intelligence, addressing critical issues of authorship, creative agency, and valuation.

The Culture Futures Incubator:
Cultivating Next-Generation Praxis for the Creative Economy

ANCER Conference, Chinese University of Hong Kong

ANCER Conference, Chinese University of Hong Kong
12 December 2025

The inaugural workshop convenes a diverse group of scholars and practitioners to pioneer new methodologies for the creative economy. Moving beyond theoretical discourse, this 90-minute hybrid workshop functions as an active laboratory for next-generation praxis. Participants engage in immersive prototyping sprints, hands-on with emergent technologies including VR environments, AI-driven geo-visualization platforms, and digital authentication tools. These sprints are designed to translate critical sector challenges—from digital heritage and transnational cultural flows to AI-human co-curation—into tangible models and ethical frameworks. The workshop's second module fosters a vital plenary discussion, critically reflecting on the prototypes to interrogate core tensions between digital sensorium and materiality, algorithmic prediction and human insight, and the operationalization of ethical governance. The Incubator aims to bridge theory and practice, equipping attendees with both a methodological framework for integrating speculative design into their work and an expanded network of colleagues at the forefront of cultural futures research.

Full Programme

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