Workshop 'Futuring: ready for the audience of the future'

Does your offering still connect with a new generation of visitors? They are growing up in a digitized society and are accustomed to a personal, interactive approach. What will your offering look like in ten years — and what do you need to do today to be ready?

In this workshop, you will learn 'futuring': a method to systematically look ahead and prepare your organization for what is to come. Not a crystal ball, but a concrete way of thinking that you can apply immediately.

After this workshop:

You can explore the future and think in scenarios.
You understand the needs of generations.
You are inspired to start preparing for the future now.

DEN Academy

Futuring (also known as future exploration) is a method to translate trends and signals into concrete future scenarios, allowing you to make better strategic choices today. In this four-hour workshop, you will work with four scenarios for the cultural sector in 2036 and translate them into actions for your own organization. You will leave with a methodology that you can immediately implement and a sharper vision of your audience of the future.

What is futuring?

Futuring, in Dutch known as future exploration, is the structured exploration of possible futures to prepare your organization now. You do not predict one future but map out multiple conceivable futures. This way, you make choices that hold up, no matter what happens.

Looking ahead is partly looking back and creatively anticipating what is to come. That is exactly what you will do in this workshop: from scanning signals to turning scenarios (opens in new tab) into actions for today.

Why is futuring important for the cultural sector now?

A new generation is growing up in a fully digitized world. They expect a personal, interactive experience — even from museums, theaters, archives, and stages. Organizations that anticipate this now will be stronger in the future.

The problem: the future feels uncertain and overwhelming. Futuring makes that uncertainty manageable. You learn to let go of the fear of the unknown and see opportunities in it.

"Even in a scenario that initially seemed dystopian to me, we gradually found opportunities and solutions during the conversation. When you let go of the fear of the future, you see a beautiful path."
Marjan Ruiter, director of Zeeuws Museum - former participant of this workshop

What can you expect?

Looking ahead is looking back and creatively anticipating what is to come. And that is exactly what you will do in this workshop!

Using futuring theory and inspiration from pioneers in the sector, you will work with four scenarios for cultural organizations in 2036. In groups, you will visualize what each scenario means for your offering, your audience, and your business model in ten years.

Which future is most desirable? And are you also prepared for the other outcomes? More importantly: what do you need to do today to achieve this?

What will you learn?

The workshop follows the four steps of future exploration. You will go through all of them, from signals to action.

1. Scanning signals and trends

You will discover why signals indicating change matter and how to systematically map them for your organization.

2. Recognizing patterns and giving meaning

You will search for the patterns behind the signals and determine which major uncertainties will most strongly impact your organization.

3. Creating and exploring future scenarios

Based on these uncertainties, you will formulate scenarios (opens in new tab). DEN has already developed four for this workshop, so you can get started right away.

4. Translating scenarios into the present

You will turn insights into experiments and strategic choices for today — so you anticipate the future instead of reacting to it.

What will the workshop bring you?

After the workshop, you will have:

Knowledge of the futuring methodology (future exploration) and an understanding of why it matters.
Insight into how your audience experiences culture — and will experience it — towards 2036.
A view of the opportunities of digital transformation, using inspiring examples from the sector.
Worked with the DEN future scenarios (opens in new tab) and learned how to apply them to your own organization.

"I want to thank you once again for the valuable session we experienced with you. It has been a while, but still. Several documents are hanging on my bulletin board, and we continue to discuss them internally."
Ronald Wintjens, director of Nederlandse Dansdagen - former participant of this workshop

Continue with futuring: choose your next step

Do you really want to get started with futuring for your organization? Follow the learning path below or step in wherever you like.

Short introduction: free online Lunch & Learn (August 27)

Discover in 45 minutes, during lunch, what futuring is about and why it is important now. Accessible, with room for questions.

→ Register for free (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)

In-depth workshop (September 24)

Go through the full methodology yourself in half a day and work with DEN scenarios from this guide, tailored to your organization.

→ View the workshop(opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)

Learn from each other: Community meet-up (October 8)

Meet professionals and hear how other cultural organizations apply futuring in practice. Practical experiences and networking are central.

→ Join the meet-up (opens in new tab)

Curious how other cultural organizations successfully engaged young people with culture by using youth marketing? Listen to the fifth episode of DEN's podcast Cultuurshift season 3 and discover how cultural institutions can connect with the world of a new generation.