How do the arts contribute to the formation of democratic processes? How does culture constitute public space and a civil domain? The Art of Civil Action argues that cultural initiatives play an underappreciated but crucial role in unlocking dormant democratic potential in our societies. Arts and culture can be a cornerstone of the civil domain, and an anchor as communities reconcile their local and global identities and roles.

The Art of Civil Action considers how to establish a sustainable, transnational civil space, and what role culture and the arts can play in this process, through a colorful mix of case studies on citizen-led cultural initiatives from Europe and around the world. Social scientists, cultural theorists, activists and artists contribute conceptual perspectives on how the arts and culture can help build a locally rooted civil society in a globally connected context.