civic-systems

collaborative > developing insights across the civic system, to reimagine relationships and catalyse change

research > narrative strategies, design frameworks and creative projects to inspire speculative imaginaries, with pragmatic, data-enhanced, sustainable foundations

‘caring more about well-researched wonder than about closing down possibilities through expertise’ //

AUDRE LORD / Alexis Pauline Gumbs


convening > bringing creative practice to portfolio thinking: gathering by listening deeply

shimmering > designing frameworks for collective imagining: storytelling as wayfinding

collective > place-based immersion as a strategic response: delivering possibilities for change with civic agency

nothing about us, without us > care with language and invitation: when everyone contributes their human complexity, imagination and experience revives and regenerates the exhausted soil of existing systems

data > rebuilding the place-context for data in the everyday

studio practice

systems thinking as topology > design located in place

c-s: building capacity and capabilities for new models of civic collaboration – imagining, wayfinding, sensemaking, experimenting. Carefully bringing diverse stakeholders together to develop collective future visions. Intentionally pragmatic: deeply integrating with the social and economic practicalities of transformational policy making

Kate Jago is a creative strategist, publisher, systems convenor and participation specialist. A passionate advocate of community-led place-making, part of her change-making practice includes stewardship of civic-systems as collaborative studio practice. Jago is part of the Collective Imagining Practice Community, supported by Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and The Great Imagining (TGI). Data modelling and participatory research is focused on the co-development of a community-led data commons published as collectivecommons.org