Witnessing the largest cuts in state spending since World War II, everyone in the Netherlands seems to have a strong opinion on what tax money should, or should not, be spent on. As a result, large public protests have been organized in response to the proposed public expenditure reductions in education, healthcare, and culture. None of these demonstrations seemed to bear fruit however, giving rise to a feeling among Dutch citizens that their voices are not being heard. But what would happen when everyone got a say in how public money is distributed? Would education, healthcare and culture really benefit from such a democratic model? And would the end result be a solid public spending policy or a poor compromise?
Test_Lab: Who Wants to Be…? is a social experiment in the form of a raucous game show developed by art collective The People Speak. All visitors chip in 10 EUR in advance to enter the game, after which they brainstorm, argue, and vote on how to spend the collective money. Questions around value, worth and common ideals simmer under the surface of this ‘direct democratic game show’. A past performance of Who Wants To Be…? resulted in the collective purchase of a woodland, but participants have also proposed to fire the host and to simply get their money back. Everything is possible in Who Wants To Be…? What is certain is that you will have a say in it.
*Not an entrance fee: you all decide how to spend the money!
"..a hugely liberating and spontaneous night of audience autonomy."
- The Guardian
Related event: Blowup: Show Me The Money
December 2, 2011, 20:00 - 23:00
Featuring: Saul Albert (UK), Christian Nold (UK) and Diane Ragsdale (US/NL)
What price tag do you put on priceless experiences and objects? Join us in a discussion getting to the root of notions of "value" and "culture" with cultural economist Diane Ragsdale, electrical scientist Saul Albert, and artist Christian Nold.
Admission: Free if you attended Test_Lab: Who Wants to Be…? Free for students (college card). 5 EUR for everyone else.
Both events will be streamed live at http://live.v2.nl