Berlin's Creative Bureaucracy Festival: Learning together, building a community

In June 2026, for the second time, the 27th Region headed to Berlin for the mind-blowing Creative Bureaucracy Festival (external link) (don’t you just love that title?).

We heard talks by the inspiring Audrey Tang, former Taiwanese Minister of Digital Affairs, who now advises numerous governments on using digital technology and AI to foster co-creation, combat polarization, and revitalize democracy; Monica Barone (external link), Chief Executive of Sydney, who shared the city’s transformation journey (Sustainable Sydney 2030); and the indispensable Mariana Mazzucato (external link), who continues her work on the capabilities public institutions need to navigate the mounting crises… In addition, we attended sessions revisiting the mission-based approach or the use of data for planning; project presentations—such as initiatives supporting people burdened by debt in Lithuania (external link) or recognizing informal waste collection work in Nigeria (external link)—or sessions sharing lessons learned, such as what ethics and courage mean in public innovation (external link).

In short, between reunions with the States of Change community and a packed program, we’re sharing a recap here of these few days that were as intense as they were inspiring!

In the face of ecological, social, and democratic crises, usual approaches to public innovation—design, systems thinking, foresight, ... often seem trapped within the very same governance paradigms they seek to transform. What if, to break free from these constraints, we broadened up our horizons by building on other traditions and approaches —feminist, indigenous, ecological or anti-racist thinking for instance —to envision a transformation of the public sector that no longer settles for merely improving the status quo, but instead challenges the very foundations and power structures of institutions? This is the proposal put forward by our friend Lindsay Cole, who took advantage of the Creative Bureaucracy Festival to launch her first book.

To guide us along this path, she borrows a four-season compass from the natural world. Fall reminds us that innovation sometimes means accepting that certain ideas, mechanisms, or ways of doing things have run their course—letting them die and composting them to release their energy. Winter invites us to explore the power of refusal: to stop devoting all our energy to keeping alive systems that resist change, thereby creating spaces where other practices can emerge. Spring becomes a time for experimentation, listening, and fruitful disruptions; Summer, a time for joy, abundance, and the quality of relationships—viewed not as rewards but as the very conditions for transformation.

A strong conviction runs throughout the text: transforming public action is neither a matter of a sudden revolution nor a new “miracle” method. It is a patient, daily, and sometimes invisible effort that involves shifting mindsets as much as it does practices. At a time when calls for “transformation” can also serve agendas aimed at reducing or dismantling public services, this proposal advocates a different path: that of institutions capable of regenerating themselves from within, by cultivating care, interdependence, and responsibility toward future generations as well as toward all living things. In doing so, Lindsay challenges the values underpinning our practices, our ability to free ourselves from the system to which we contribute, and to rediscover a deeper energy for transformation. The concept of “composting” particularly resonated with many of our colleagues at States of Change, in a context where organizations are closing, paths are diverging, projects must be abandoned, and public policies are being transformed: with whom, and for whom, can we envision this practice as a fertile and democratic act?

With this somewhat provocative question, we invited the festival organizers to discuss the challenges of training public officials, in connection with our La Synchro (external link) program. This provided an opportunity for a great conversation among Benoit Vallauri (CNFPT), Lindsay Cole (University of Vancouver), Brenton Caffin (States of Change), Cornelia Findesein (DINUM), Kai Wegrich (Hertie School in Berlin), as well as Nicolas Rebolledo (Unit) and Sabine Junginger (design professor and researcher). The discussion highlighted the new expectations of French and European public servants—for example, regarding a hierarchy that is often seen as lacking ambition, or the need for training in managing complexity. In response, Lindsay extolled the merits of the theory of transformative learning developed by sociologist Jack Mezirow (external link): a training approach based on a form of liberating empowerment for trainees, far removed from superficial approaches. Kai and Sabine engaged in a heated debate over whether elected officials and top management were truly open to such levels of transformation. These topics are also driving conversations within the States of Change international community, centered on several questions:

• How do we decide what should be taught as a priority? “Each country is organized differently when it comes to public-sector training. In Denmark, it is primarily market demand that determines what civil servants should be trained in, not the result of an institutional strategy. In truth, these choices should be the result of personal reflection: ‘What do I truly want to contribute to the sector, to the world—what would I really like to change?’ (Christian Bason, Transition Collective)

• How can we learn effectively? “The skills of public innovation are acquired through practice, just like a sport or an art—hence the value of communities of practitioners” (Derek Alton, Civic Punk). “Practices inspired by transformative learning allow us not only to learn, but to change how we think and the relationship we intend to have with the world ” (Lindsay Cole, University of Vancouver) “Training is part of a broader process of learning and engagement; we need to focus on what we’re trying to transform” (Jesper Christiansen, Bikuben Foundation) “Civil servants need simulators and training facilities, just like airline pilots” (Milica Begovic, UNDP)
• Who should deliver the training? “The role of public transformation communities may be less about conducting training and more about helping to define what needs to be taught” (Milica); “There is a need to train the trainers, as the ‘Teaching Public Services in the Digital Age’ project does” (Jason Pearman).

Some fine experiences shared by the participants:

• Academy for Next Leadership
• The Government Design School (external link) in the United Kingdom:
• Teaching public services in the digital age, a community of trainers (external link)(including Tom Steinberg, the founder of My Society).

As part of this small French delegation that headed to Berlin, we brought along two representatives from member organizations—both of whom are also involved in the La Synchro program—who came to gather inspiration on training challenges. Exchanging ideas with peers is one of the main benefits of these events—a great opportunity to take a step back and reflect on one’s own practice, to challenge oneself, or to reaffirm the value of what one does. For the Occitanie lab, for example, it meant realizing that having been in existence for eight years is quite an achievement for an innovation lab! But it also opens up new perspectives on the role of labs in addressing emerging issues (digital sovereignty, AI, etc.). Engaging with the international community is also a good way to explore how to further develop existing partnerships within one’s local government: URBACT projects, bilateral partnerships, and so on. Local governments engage in international activities, often led by dedicated departments: but what role do innovation teams play in these exchanges? How can we move beyond thematic collaboration or the sharing of best practices? Our on-site staff are eager to explore these questions, and we’re interested in them too. We’re planning a webinar on how public innovators can leverage international opportunities. Stay tuned (and let us know if you’d like to help us shape the agenda!).

Beyond the wealth of talks and workshops, what we’ll take away from the Creative Bureaucracy Festival are the connections we made. Over the course of those few days, we had the opportunity to exchange ideas with public officials, practitioners, designers, innovation labs, and even former elected officials from various countries. These encounters allowed us to step back from our day-to-day work, draw inspiration from experiences elsewhere, and forge connections that extend far beyond the festival, thereby helping to strengthen international networks of innovators. We already plan to return for a third consecutive year (because good things come in threes) to represent the French scene, highlight the initiatives being carried out in our local governments, share both our challenges and our progress, and strengthen ties with the international public innovation community. So, dear members, whether you work for a city, a department, a region, or any other local government, join us next year! The larger the French delegation, the more we’ll be able to showcase the innovations taking place in our regions, enrich our practices by learning from other experiences, and contribute together to the discussions that will shape the public sector of tomorrow.