Abstract
The entire cultural field is witnessing a “participatory turn,” and among LAMs, participation has been the most prominent buzzword for more than a decade. This chapter describes and discusses different types of participation, including crowdsourcing, co-creation, and the facilitation of shared experiences of culture and art. A four-quadrant model of participation is subsequently introduced in which LAM participatory practices can be located based on the varying degrees of power sharing between the LAMs and participating communities and the degree to which LAMs and the communities benefit directly or by proxy from the practices. The chapter proceeds to discuss opportunities and challenges related to participation, how we should understand participation within LAMs, and what implications this has for LAMs and the LAM field. Lastly, a participation matrix with critical questions on participation and its motivations, stakeholders, premises, and outcomes is introduced for facilitating assessment and a better understanding of participatory engagements.