Does space matter? Built environments and Co-Creation in Mexico City
This chapter argues that urban built environments are essential elements for the success of collective projects associated with the concept of Co-Creation as a contribution to a sociological approach that favours other political, organizational or financial aspects. The research considers geographical analysis, fieldwork and semi-structured interviews with staff members of cultural venues in Mexico City, an iconic metropolis of the Global South with a long tradition of socially engaged art, and frequently associated with informal urbanisation processes which are the origin of more than 50 per cent of the city’s neighbourhoods. The chapter considers the built environment as a useful medium to achieve the social benefits that Co-Creation promoters look for, through diverse participatory methodologies. In this sense, the definition of Co-Creation in this chapter favours the process, more than the product, in which various agents participate to produce knowledge about their current urban situation and expectations. The chapter clarifies the relationships between the location and characteristics of official and independent art and cultural venues, the key social components for successful Co-Creative projects, and the agents involved in the process.