ORGANISATION

Donostia/San Sebastian European Capital of Culture

CHALLENGE

The Sello AuzoLabs were held simultaneously with the Planta 0 de Bomberos AuzoLabs and were conducted on the suggestion of the European Capital of Culture Donostia/San Sebastián 2016, in search of what came to be called “Sello” (Label): a certain “something” (physical, virtual, conceptual, emotional...) to be integrated into the events and activities organised within the DSS2016EU framework, or with its collaboration, and to help identify other events and activities that promote values ​​(through specific indicators and practices) in line with those of the European Capital of Culture Donostia/San Sebastián 2016.

IMPROBABLE COLLABORATOR

The “different others” chosen for these AuzoLabs were Ania Bas and ColaBoraBora. Ania Bas is a Polish artist living in London who conducts research into connections between people and places and develops her practice in real scenarios. While ColaBoraBora, an initiative cooperative, explores new opportunities for innovation in production models, governance and ownership and analyses the empowerment and participation of citizens, among other issues.

The AuzoLab in which Ania Bas worked was conducted in English while the ColaBoraBora AuzoLab was held in Spanish.

PARTICIPANTS

Each group comprised 8-10 people representing spaces or projects related to the subject of the work, with connections to innovative, groundbreaking initiatives, symbolising the diversity in Donostia and with an open mind.

PROCESS

It was decided that in order to obtain more comprehensive results, two AuzoLabs were to be held instead of one. This allowed for the participation of more people, a greater monitoring of the results and the obtainment of complementary conclusions. Each AuzoLab had a total of four sessions, including the Methodology Session, and a day for presenting the results (22 July 2014). The Sello AuzoLabs were held in Espacio 2016.

RESULTS

Sello resulted in a final result of four prototypes:

• “Arrain-bankua/sea bream system” is a semantic online platform (with the possibility of becoming an app) that helps to collectively assess DSS2016EU activities.
• A meme that helps spontaneous appropriation and provides citizens with the opportunity to express themselves without pre-filters.
• A mix of the above two prototypes, an application suggested by DSS2016EU but designed in a participatory manner to help assess both activities and agents.
• A concept aimed more at the process, an expansive method, for example.

FUTURE

Based on the AuzoLab results, the Conexiones improbables platform made a series of recommendations to the European Capital of Culture Donostia/San Sebastián 2016. Specifically, these were:

• Ruling out the idea of a conventional Label reflecting indicators established by DSS2016EU.
• The possibility of not doing anything related to a Label has not been discarded. It is not essential.
• Work to develop the prototypes has revealed the existence of criteria in which there is a high degree of consensus.
• The prototypes can complement each other.
• The AuzoLabs have expressed a series of criteria about what this Label should be. These are:
• Involving indicators that can evolve over time.
• The Label may be viral and informal, as well as flexible.
• The Label should help establish, while simultaneously better understand, the content of the activities carried out by DSS2016EU.