In short
The Futuring 2036 guide is a free working document from DEN with four detailed future scenarios for the cultural sector. You use the scenarios and accompanying questions to determine, together with your team, how your organization could look in 2036 and what you need to do today to achieve that. You can download it directly. Want to dive deeper into the information yourself? Then follow the Futuring exploration Lunch & Learn on August 27, the in-depth workshop on September 24, and the practical community meet-up on October 8.
What is future exploration?
Futuring, or exploring the future, is a structured way to investigate possible futures and prepare your organization for them. You don't predict one future, but work with multiple scenarios. This allows you to see which developments are coming your way and which choices remain viable, no matter what happens. Organizations that actively think about possible futures are more agile and future-proof. Those who only focus on the present risk being overtaken by reality.
What is in the guide?
The guide takes you to the cultural landscape of 2036. DEN has worked out two major uncertainties into four scenarios: the degree of technological innovation in the sector and the degree of ownership and participation by the audience. Each scenario shows how four generations, from Gen Alpha to Boomer, experience culture.
The four future scenarios:
Co-creative Culture Arena (high ownership, high innovation): everyone contributes, technology connects.
Directed Experience (low ownership, high innovation): everything is perfect, you watch, they decide.
Niche Makerspace (high ownership, low innovation): do-it-yourself, share together, low-tech.
Culture in Status Quo (low ownership, low innovation): organization broadcasts, remains classic, audience shrinks.
With four recognizable personas (Jezz (Gen A), Naomi (Gen Z), Maya (millennial), and Johan (boomer/Gen X)), you can see per scenario how different generations experience culture. This makes the future tangible and discussable.
How do you get started?
The guide concludes with a set of questions that translate the scenarios into actions for today. You and your colleagues delve into each scenario, choose a desired future for your organization in 2036, and work back to the present (backcasting): what does this mean for your offerings, audience reach, staff, IT, and marketing in the coming years? Work with a diverse group, from management team to intern; future exploration works best when many perspectives come together.
The guide is an adaptation of a previous DEN version from 2023, developed with futurist Freija van Duijne and supported by researcher Lauren Vargas. The scenarios are based on methodically monitored trends and signals; they remain tools, not definitive predictions.
Further with futuring: choose your next step
The guide is your starting point. Want to really get started with futuring for your organization? Follow the learning path below or step in wherever you want.
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)
In-depth workshop (September 24)
Go through the full method yourself in half a day and work with the DEN scenarios from this guide, tailored to your organization.
→ View the workshop (opens in new tab)
Learn from each other: Community meet-up (October 8)
Meet peers and hear how other cultural organizations apply futuring in practice. Practical experiences and networking are central.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is futuring?Show explanationHide explanation
Futuring, also known as exploring the future, is a method to investigate possible futures and prepare your organization for them. You don't predict one future, but work with multiple scenarios, so you make choices that remain viable. In the cultural sector, futuring helps organizations prepare for a changing audience and a more technological society.
What can I do with the Futuring guide?Show explanationHide explanation
The guide contains four detailed future scenarios for the cultural sector in 2036 and a set of questions to apply them. You use it to explore with your team how your organization could look in the future and what steps you can take now. Downloading is free.
Who is the guide intended for?Show explanationHide explanation
For anyone working in the cultural sector and involved in strategic decisions: from management and MT to policy, audience reach, and program staff at museums, theaters, archives, libraries, and festivals. It is best used with a diverse group of colleagues.
How much does the guide cost?Show explanationHide explanation
Nothing. The Futuring 2036 guide is free to download. If you want to delve deeper into it, the Lunch & Learn (opens in new tab), the workshop (opens in new tab), and the community meet-up (opens in new tab) offer the next steps.
How do I apply the scenarios to my organization?Show explanationHide explanation
Immerse yourself and your colleagues in each of the four scenarios, choose a desired future for your organization in 2036, and work back to the present (backcasting). This way, you determine which choices you make now regarding offerings, audience, staff, IT, and marketing.
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