William Uricchio

What is co-creation, and who co-creates? Co-creation resides within a diverse ecosystem of practitioners and systems of knowledge. Chapters include a conversation about co-creation and equity by five media makers of color.

What are the risks and opportunities? Veteran co-creators have developed many strategies, informed by a long history of defining collective protocols, practices, and pathways that hold partners accountable to each other.

How do people co-create within communities, in-person? Includes a brief history of documentary practices, participatory media, and the rise of art collectives. Features an extended conversation between members of Detroit Narrative Agency.

How do people co-create within communities on digital platforms? Emerging technologies offer both new forms of connectivity and ethical challenges for co-creation. Featured chapter: overview of collaborative forms of journalism, between reporters, organizations and with readers.

When co-creation teams cross disciplinary lines, they embark on parallel paths of discovery rather than privileging one discipline’s priorities over the other. Features the history + potential of labs, incubators, residencies and permanent experiments that go beyond disciplines.

Can humans co-create with non-human systems? Increasingly, artists, technologists and journalists are working with living systems, such as cells, mold, planetary scale systems, artificial intelligence (AI) as well as technological infra-structures. Is it co-creation?

What's the key to co-creation? Veteran co-creators say it involves supporting and investing in process, not only in deliverables and products. We identify six key recommendations for next steps in the field.

Who contributed to this study and how.

Why co-create and why now? This first-of-its-kind field study identifies trends, opportunities, and challenges to help advance the understanding, the risks and recognition of co-created works and practices — efforts that function outside the limits of singular authorship.

An interactive graphic showing co-creation within a network of related practices across multiple disciplines.

Lists of 221 relevant readings and 251 co-creative projects and programs.

A short video trailer showcasing the field study.