Learning from Grigri Pixel. Artistic pluricultural co-production as assets for public place-making

The paper presents the experience of Grigri Pixel (Spain), a programme of residencies, meetings and workshops devoted to the creation of urban interventions and common furniture elements in public spaces based on collaborative practices and digital manufacturing strategies from the African continent. In a context of increasing contraction of the public action and local / national welfare systems in (Southern) European cities, the project suggests other narratives for urban public spaces through the activation of non-conventional and peripheral imaginaries and by providing spaces of knowledge-exchange and collective imagination between local communities, invited artists from African cities, new and old citizens. Drawn on the project rich documentation and persepctives of the Grigri Pixel network participants, the contribution aims to provide some insights about the transformative potential of pluricultural and artistic co-productions in shaping contemporary public spaces, as assets for the active participation of citizens in practices of place-making.