Kickoff Event, Community Workshop, Forum Theatre, Legislative Theatre

Adaptation of the Forum-theatre model to do legislative theatre

We found, the forum went well even for LT. In this case, the “Ware Wohnen Menschenrecht” could have been be divided at least into three parts for three differentlegislative perspectives/events.

The role of the Joker and what is asked to the audience during legislative-theatre sessions

In our case we first ask for classic interventionen… and then aks for prosposals (which is sometime a consequence, when do don’t find an alternative way of acting because the laws, structures are preventing alternativ actions).
This means, that the questions: which strucural change do we need has been asked during the reflection of an intervention. But we also give the people the possibilty to write their proposals dwon after the forum-phase.

COVID-19 Adaptations: Covid-19 caused a lot of delays, and we had to halt many activities. The pandemic disrupted in-person activities, but the project quickly adapted by hosting virtual legislative theatre events. These online sessions, streamed to a broader audience, allowed politicians to engage with proposals in real-time. Nevertheless one legislative theatre event could be run in person.

Many different political parties expressed support for the proposal, and they seemed genuinely convinced. But, just two or three weeks later, things took a difficult turn. The Communist Party didn’t make any effort to engage, while the Conservative and Right-Wing parties, who were in power, dismissed the proposal, calling it nonsense, more or less. That was a tough moment. While initial engagement with decision-makers was challenging, the project succeeded in gaining broad support for many of its proposals, even from diverse political parties. Though the Communist Party initially dismissed the proposals, a change in leadership later allowed for a more favorable political climate, resulting in the implementation of some of the proposed measures.
A recurring issue is the fluctuating level of commitment from politicians—how seriously they take things, and how long it takes before actions are truly realized.

Some of the community workshop participants were expected to take part in the Forum Theatre, but in the end, they didn’t. This led to some criticism. People felt disappointed that they weren’t involved in the performance, even though the workshop’s goal wasn’t to select participants for the Forum Theatre. The communication wasn’t entirely clear on that point, so some people had unrealistic expectations. We learned from that and will be more transparent in the future about what we can offer.

The kick-off event and the citizen council meeting were both major highlights. Both events combined theatre with discussion, helping to clarify the issues at hand. It wasn’t just talking; it was about performance, which made it much more engaging. It was also a great networking opportunity and brought together a lot of expertise, which was a significant strength of the project.

The Forum Theatre play itself, particularly the part dealing with private accommodation and the exploitation of poor people. It had a real impact, not just in terms of raising awareness but also in shifting the discourse in Graz and among social workers. It really sparked some important conversations.

It brought an issue to public attention that had previously been overlooked.

That we had LT-Events via ZOOM

40 concrete proposals aimed at improving affordable housing policies in Graz and Styria. While some of the recommendations were legislative, others targeted local regulations and administrative measures. Since Graz, as a city, cannot directly legislate, many of the recommendations involved local regulations or administrative measures that could make a tangible difference. Of course, not all proposals were adopted—this is a common issue with legislative theatre, where there are always more ideas than can be implemented.
The project’s approach spurred political discussions, particularly when a political shift occurred in Graz in late 2022, aligning with several of the project’s proposals.
The project also highlighted the exploitation faced by low-income renters, particularly in the private housing market, where substandard accommodations are rented at exorbitant prices. This issue was largely underreported .

We didn’t specifically focus on a “metabolic cell,” but we did involve experts from our network to help us assess the proposals we presented. When preparing suggestions for the city of Graz or the regional parliament, we held sessions with experts to review how these proposals might impact local laws or political dynamics. Graz, for example, can’t change national laws, but they can work within their local context. We worked with people who were experts in social and human rights, housing laws, and other relevant areas. These experts were actively involved in the process, providing feedback and guidance.

We didn’t specifically focus on a “metabolic cell,” but we did involve experts from our network to help us assess the proposals we presented. When preparing suggestions for the city of Graz or the regional parliament, we held sessions with experts to review how these proposals might impact local laws or political dynamics. Graz, for example, can’t change national laws, but they can work within their local context. We worked with people who were experts in social and human rights, housing laws, and other relevant areas. These experts were actively involved in the process, providing feedback and guidance.

Engage directly with affected individuals: Think carefully about how to reach the people who are most affected by the issue. Outreach can be difficult, especially when affected individuals are dispersed across different communities.

Build strong networks: Partnering with civil organizations and activists ensures broad support and helps solidify the foundation for the project.

Strategic participant selection: Involve both influential politicians and grassroots leaders who have significant sway in their communities, even if they don’t hold official political positions.

Sustained engagement with decision-makers: Show politicians the real-life impact of the issues at hand, and apply pressure to keep the momentum going. Success lies in persistent advocacy and ensuring decision-makers understand the urgency of the problem.