Relatos del futuro/ The Future is Unwritten (Colombia)
Changing the Story's Phase 1 Colombia strand incorporated two areas of research. The first, an experimental project that seeks to stimulate creativity among young people dwelling at the borders of precariousness. The second, a comparative study that considers the construction of worlds through social imaginaries and investigates how dominant imaginaries can be a barrier to an alternative future.
Tales of the Future: Senses, Creativity and the Arts of Survival (Colombia)
'Relatos del futuro: sentidos, creatividad y las artes de la supervivencia en Colombia' is a collaborative, experimental and itinerant project that seeks to stimulate creative embryos (or artistic ensembles) among young people inhabiting the borders of precariousness in Colombia.
In the middle of the current and complex transitional scenario, which we identify not only as a series of unresolved tensions between fractures and continuities of diverse forms of violence but also as a moment in which a retrospective gesture seems to co-exist with the prospective illusion of a new imagined society, Tales is concerned with creative forms of narrating or articulating the future as a possibility through different languages of collective pain and particular modes of integrating lived experience, whether they are corporeal, visual, sonic or textual among other possibilities. Likewise, we are interested in the textures and creative modulations of daily survival of these youth and their complex contexts, as well as in the economies of solidarity that will grow out of these embryos. This project is sustained on a vision of peace in a small scale in which the restitution of the other’s neighborliness and the transformation of the imaginaries ossified over the years of war and armed conflict takes particular importance.
The project began with a critical review, which synthesised existing practice by arts initiatives addressing peace, conflict and reconciliation. This was based on two types of data; interviews with relevant organisations, and official information from the National Centre for Historical Memory, the Ministry of Culture, and the Office of the Major of Bogota. Overall, more than eighty initiatives were reviewed for the critical review, including those working specifically with young people. In all places that were reviewed, precariousness, joblessness and violence are some of the main features defining the life of the young people. There is deep a scepticism about so-called development projects (in any of its ideological variations), international cooperation, and even social research in general. They are perceived as mining, "extractivist", short-term interventions. This helped guide the parameters and construction of the study and pilot in question.
Relevant debates with young people concerning their experience of violence on their own experience and crucially, that of their communities, were then conducted in seven poverty and conflict –affected areas of the country and acted as sites of data gathering and scoping. These included: Quibdó (Chocó), Buenaventura (Valle del Cauca), Cali-Ginebra (Valle del Cauca), Medellín (Antioquía)
A micro-regional pilot was completed in Ginebra-Paramo de las Hermosas in November 2018, which is now leading to the development of a longer, itinerant project collecting sonic biographies capturing the relationship between young people, the experience of violence, the natural diversity of the environment and the alternative imaginary of the future in three other locations in Colombia.
In addition to work focused at a local-level in the Pacific coastline region of Colombia, the project is also developing transnational cooperative initiatives concerned with youth and recovery from violence between Colombia, Brazil and the UK.
Hear more about the project's concept of 'Peace on a Small Scale' from Co-Investigator Prof. Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar:
The Future is Unwritten: Social imaginaries, Skills & Culture in Colombia

Credit: Emily Morrison
The Imaginary
Peoples’ worlds are constructed through collective, social imaginaries (Anderson, 1981; Taylor, 2004). The imaginary articulates how peoples’ worlds are created through shared values and beliefs, often drawn from collective lived experiences. As such, the modern social imaginary can be formed from problematic paradigms affecting the social consciousness, such as violence. These imaginaries can dominate over a society, giving continued life to problematic dynamics from the past and restricting a community’s transition into an alternative future
Central research questions
- How do some imaginaries come to dominate?
- What is the link between culture & the imaginary?
- What is the relationship between imaginaries & memory?
Comparative Methodology
- Interviewed social actors involved in culture, violence and policy
- Explored the broader social imaginary and policy environment inhabiting Colombia.
- Compared Colombia and Brazil – interviews and observations.
- Comparative approach – sharing radical methodologies and practice frm both countries.
- Look to develop new imaginaries and new policies
Theoretical Lens
Fused ideas of hegemony, cultural field, imaginaries and hybridity to create a theoretical and analytical lens to interrogate interviews:
Results
The results of the project explored the concepts of:
- Field of power and Field of violence shaping imaginaries, including memory
- Counterhegemonic Imaginaries emerged, where Culture can be used as a tool to transform social imaginaries and policy, building peace
Hear more about The Future is Unwritten project from Co-Investigator Simon Dancey:
Project Location
The River Atrato, Colombia
Resource Archive
Search or browse the resource archive for films, reports, toolkits and other resources produced by the Changing the Story and its commissioned projects. Items relating to Colombia are listed below:
Title | Summary | Author | Categories | Tags | doc_categories_hfilter | doc_tags_hfilter |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
How do young people in conflict settings view peace? | Listen to the jungle, the rivers and the voices of young people from the Atrato River populations, one of the areas hardest hit in the country by the conflict. Alejandro … | Prof Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar | Colombia, Phase 1 | language: spanish, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 16 Institutions, subject: peace | colombia phase1 location | language-spanish sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-16-institutions subject-peace |
The Arts of Survival (Spanish) | Written by Alejandro Castillejo Cuellar and investigators Alex Sierra and Juanita Frankey, the following critical review of the Phase 1 Colombia project Tales of the Future: Senses, Creativity and the … | Prof Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar | Colombia, Phase 1 | format: report, language: spanish, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 16 Institutions, subject: reflections | colombia phase1 location | report language-spanish sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-16-institutions subject-reflections |
Introducción del editor invitado: la paz en pequeña escala | Introducción del editor invitado: la paz en pequeña escala, Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar (2019) | Prof Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar | Colombia | format: article, language: spanish, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 16 Institutions | colombia location | article language-spanish sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-16-institutions |
Participatory digital methodologies with young people in “fragile” contexts in times of COVID-19 | Blog (2020/12/03) Participatory digital methodologies with young people in “fragile” contexts in times of COVID-19 | Dr Marlies Kustatscher | Colombia, Phase 2 | format: blog, language: english, subject: covid19, subject: reflections | colombia phase2 location | blog language-english subject-covid19 subject-reflections |
Meet Antonia | Meet Antonia, a Changing the Story Youth Research Board member from Colombia. | Colombia, Young Changemakers, Youth Research Board | format: film, language: spanish | colombia changemakers youth-research-board location | film language-spanish | |
Music, Community and Environment workshop - Mr Klaje | Recording of Mr Klaje’s (Colombia) Music, Community and Environment workshop, 29th April, University of Leeds. This workshop promoted collaborative work actions and intercultural scenarios among diverse students/participants, as a strategy … | Mr Klaje | Colombia, Event, Phase 2 | format: film, language: english, subject: participatory arts | colombia event phase2 location | film language-english subject-participatory-arts |
Edwar Caledron | With English subtitles | Dr Edwar Calderón | Colombia, Phase 2 | format: film, language: spanish | colombia phase2 location | film language-spanish |
A Critique of Transitional Discourse | Written by Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar (Phase 1 Colombia Project 'Tales of the Future). The following article is a product of Alejandro's research and raises the need to question "Transitional scenarios," their … | Prof Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar | Colombia, Phase 1 | format: article, language: spanish, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 16 Institutions | colombia phase1 location | article language-spanish sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-16-institutions |
YouthLEAD Case Study | YouthLead (Colombia) is a participatory arts research project and collaboration between Queen's University Belfast, National Centre for Historical Memory, Konrad Lorenz University and Gestores de Paz. which addresses two broad … | Colombia | format: article, language: english, SDG 10 Inequalities, SDG 16 Institutions, SDG 3 Health and Well-being, subject: participatory arts, subject: street art, subject: youth | colombia location | article language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-3-health-and-well-being subject-participatory-arts subject-street-art youth | |
La Verdad, created and performed by Cuál es la verdad? | La Verdad, created and performed by Cuál es la verdad? (Colombia). Cuál es la verdad? (What is the Truth?) De-constructing collective memories and imagining alternative futures with young people in … | Colombia, Phase 2 | format: film, language: spanish, SDG 10 Inequalities, SDG 16 Institutions, subject: participatory arts | colombia phase2 location | film language-spanish sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions subject-participatory-arts | |
The Tree of Love: Resilience, Resistance and Reconciliation Among Former Child Soldiers in Colombia | Blog (2019/11/07) The Tree of Love: Resilience, Resistance and Reconciliation Among Former Child Soldiers in Colombia | Dr Mathew Charles | Colombia | format: blog, language: english, subject: reflections | colombia location | blog language-english subject-reflections |
Thinking together | Blog (2019/12/13) Thinking together | Jesús Flores, Mirla Pérez | Colombia, Phase 2, Venezuela | format: blog, language: english, subject: reflections | colombia phase2 venezuela location | blog language-english subject-reflections |
Cuál es la verdad? (What is the Truth?) Final Project Video | Cuál es la verdad? (What is the Truth?) De-constructing collective memories and imagining alternative futures with young people in Chocó through music and arts is a Phase 2 Large Grant … | Colombia, Phase 2 | format: film, language: spanish, SDG 10 Inequalities, SDG 16 Institutions, subject: participatory arts | colombia phase2 location | film language-spanish sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions subject-participatory-arts | |
Beyond the Development Imaginary: Alternative Policy in Brazil and Colombia | This is an Accepted Manuscript version of chapter 3 of the book 'Participatory Arts in International Development' published by Routledge/CRC Press on 29 August 2019. The final version of each … | Dr Simon Dancey, Emily Morrison | Brazil, Colombia | format: article, language: english | brazil colombia location | article language-english |
Desde las fronteras de la precariedad | Blog (2018/12/21) Desde las fronteras de la precariedad | Prof Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar | Colombia, Phase 1 | format: blog, language: spanish, subject: reflections | colombia phase1 location | blog language-spanish subject-reflections |
Mobility Fund Report, 2020 | In 2019, Changing the Story (CTS) launched a Mobility Fund, offering financial support of up to £1000 designed to enhance the mobility and professional development of CTS grantees based in … | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, India, Nepal, South Africa, Venezuela | format: report, language: english, subject: policy, subject: youth | bosnia-and-herzegovina colombia india nepal south-africa venezuela location | report language-english subject-policy youth | |
Etnia Company Performance Universidad de los Andes, Colombia | In September 2019, the Etnia Company, a group of musicians from Choco, Colombia were invited to participate in a panel discussion and perform at an international conference held at the … | Colombia, Event | format: film | colombia event location | film | |
'Cual es la verdad' Briefing Spanish) | Si bien los métodos digitales han existido durante algún tiempo, la pandemia de COVID-19 ha requerido que proyectos en todo el mundo se muevan a la esfera digital y adapten … | Colombia | language: spanish, SDG 1 Poverty, SDG 10 Inequalities, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 4 Education, SDG 5 Gender, SDG 8 Work, SDG 9 Industry, subject: covid19, subject: reflections | colombia location | language-spanish sdg-1-poverty sdg-10-inequalities sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-4-education sdg-5-gender sdg-8-work sdg-9-industry subject-covid19 subject-reflections | |
'Cual es la verdad' Briefing (English) | While digital methods have been around for some time, the COVID-19 pandemic has required projects around the world to move to the digital sphere and adapt their approaches accordingly. In … | Colombia | language: english, SDG 1 Poverty, SDG 10 Inequalities, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 4 Education, SDG 5 Gender, SDG 8 Work, SDG 9 Industry, subject: covid19, subject: reflections | colombia location | language-english sdg-1-poverty sdg-10-inequalities sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-4-education sdg-5-gender sdg-8-work sdg-9-industry subject-covid19 subject-reflections | |
The Arts of Survival (English) | Written by Alejandro Castillejo Cuellar and investigators Alex Sierra and Juanita Frankey, the following critical review of the Phase 1 Colombia project Tales of the Future: Senses, Creativity and the … | Prof Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar | Colombia, Phase 1 | format: report, language: english, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 16 Institutions, subject: reflections | colombia phase1 location | report language-english sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-16-institutions subject-reflections |
Safeguarding, the story so far | Safeguarding means protecting vulnerable people from harm, whether malicious or unintended, by believing and responding to concerns through a systematic approach. In 2019-20, we’re developing a project to generate discussion … | Tony Cegielka | Colombia, Safeguarding | format: film, language: english, SDG 16 Institutions | colombia safeguarding location | film language-english sdg-16-institutions |
PUBLICATION LAUNCH! Changing the Story: Our Third Year | Blog (2021/05/21) PUBLICATION LAUNCH! Changing the Story: Our Third Year | Aisha Kayani | Cambodia, Colombia, India, Kosovo, Phase 2, South Africa, Young Changemakers | format: blog, language: english, subject: covid19, subject: participatory arts, subject: youth | cambodia colombia india kosovo phase2 south-africa changemakers location | blog language-english subject-covid19 subject-participatory-arts youth |
Promoting social entrepreneurship through participatory arts and music with marginalised young people in times of pandemic in Colombia | Blog (2021/08/26) Promoting social entrepreneurship through participatory arts and music with marginalised young people in times of pandemic in Colombia | Colombia, Phase 2 | format: blog, language: english, subject: reflections | colombia phase2 location | blog language-english subject-reflections | |
Relatos del futuro/ The Future is Unwritten (Colombia) | Co-Investigator Simon Dancey Changing the Story’s Phase 1 Colombia strand incorporates two areas of research. The first, an experimental project that seeks to stimulate creativity among young people dwelling at … | Dr Simon Dancey | Colombia, Phase 1 | format: film, subject: participatory arts, subject: reflections | colombia phase1 location | film subject-participatory-arts subject-reflections |
A Journey That Changed Our Story | A summary of Mr Klaje's visit to the UK, March-May 2022. Including workshops in Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Leeds | Mr Klaje | Colombia, Phase 2 | language: spanish, SDG 10 Inequalities, SDG 16 Institutions, SDG 4 Education | colombia phase2 location | language-spanish sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-4-education |
Transforming Conflict and Displacement through Arts and Humanities Opening Plenary | Opening plenary for PRAXIS virtual workshop, Transforming Conflict and Displacement through Arts and Humanities. With panellists Asma Khalifa, Ruth Daniel, Teresa Bean and Neelam Raina | Asma Khalifa, Neelam Raina, PRAXIS, Ruth Daniel, Teresa Bean | Colombia, Event, Kashmir, Libya | format: film, language: english | colombia event kashmir libya location | film language-english |
For a Different Today and Tomorrow | Blog (2019) For a Different Today and Tomorrow | Dr Laura K. Taylor | Colombia, Phase 2 | format: blog, language: english, subject: reflections | colombia phase2 location | blog language-english subject-reflections |
Troubled Reflections: A small window of opportunity for transformation in Colombia | Blog (2019/05/18) Troubled Reflections: A small window of opportunity for transformation in Colombia | Emily Morrison | Colombia, Phase 1 | format: blog, language: english, subject: reflections | colombia phase1 location | blog language-english subject-reflections |
The power of music for connecting young people globally | Blog (2021/07/20) The power of music for connecting young people globally | Dr Edwar Calderón | Colombia, Phase 2, Young Changemakers | format: blog, language: english, subject: participatory arts, subject: reflections | colombia phase2 changemakers location | blog language-english subject-participatory-arts subject-reflections |
Post-Conflict Participatory Arts Socially Engaged Development | This book investigates the power of art to enhance human development and to initiate positive social change for individuals and societies recovering from conflict. Edited by Changing the Story partners … | Diego Alfonso, Dr Aylwyn Walsh, Dr Claudia Pineda Marín, Dr Laura K. Taylor, Dr Scott Burnett, Dr Tendayi Marovah, Edwin Cubillos, Joshua Chikozho, Nub Raj Bhandari, Willard Muntanga | Colombia, Kenya, Lebanon, Nepal, Uganda, Zimbabwe | format: article, language: english, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 16 Institutions, SDG 17 Partnerships, SDG 4 Education, subject: participatory arts | colombia kenya lebanon nepal uganda zimbabwe location | article language-english sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-16-institutions sdg-17-partnerships sdg-4-education subject-participatory-arts |
Peace in a Small Scale | 'Peace in a Small Scale: Colombia and the Social Imagination of the Future' by Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar and with the research assistance of Alex Sierra. This paper was presented as part … | Prof Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar | Colombia, Event, Phase 1, Young Changemakers | format: film, language: english | colombia event phase1 changemakers location | film language-english |
Promoting social entrepreneurship through participatory arts | The latest briefing from the ¿Cuál es la verdad? Project reflects on our learning experience of supporting a group of young people to set up a multi-strand social enterprise called … | Colombia, Phase 3 | language: english, SDG 1 Poverty, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 5 Gender, SDG 8 Work, SDG 9 Industry, subject: covid19 | colombia phase3 location | language-english sdg-1-poverty sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-5-gender sdg-8-work sdg-9-industry subject-covid19 | |
Colombia Film | Interviews with visual artists about creation of animations recording stories of former child soldiers in Colombia. | Angel David Hurtado Orozco, David Espitia, Juliana Cueller, Megan Valentine, Nicolas Ocampo, Victoria Huan Zhu | Colombia, Young Changemakers | format: film, language: english, subject: reflections, subject: youth | colombia changemakers location | film language-english subject-reflections youth |
Phase One Critical Review: The Future is Unwritten (Colombia) | Written by Dr Simon Dancey and Emily Morrison this critical review of the Phase One Colombia project explores what is known about social imaginaries in Colombia in existing literature and … | Dr Simon Dancey, Emily Morrison | Colombia, Phase 1 | format: report, language: english, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 16 Institutions, subject: reflections, subject: youth | colombia phase1 location | report language-english sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-16-institutions subject-reflections youth |
Las Voces De Un Río Que Se Niega A Morir | Blog (2018/12/21) Las Voces De Un Río Que Se Niega A Morir | Colombia, Phase 1 | format: blog, language: spanish, subject: reflections | colombia phase1 location | blog language-spanish subject-reflections | |
The planet of no memory | This fanzine is created by the Youth Research Board's Preserving Memory Group composed by: David, Antonia, Trina and Leonard. It comes as a product of art research on projects supported … | Antonia Bello, David Espitia, Leonard Nyiringabo, Trina Hoti | Colombia, Kosovo, Rwanda, Youth Research Board | format: zine, language: english | colombia kosovo rwanda youth-research-board location | format-zine language-english |
Del ahogado el sombrero, a manera de manifiesto | Del ahogado el sombrero, a manera de manifiesto: esbozos para una crítica al discurso transicional. Vibrant: Virtual Brazilian Anthropology. By Alejandro Castillejo Cuéllar, 2018. | Prof Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar | Colombia | format: article, language: spanish | colombia location | article language-spanish |
Tales of the Future – Colombia | Blog (2018/04/05) Tales of the Future – Colombia | Dr Simon Dancey, Emily Morrison, Prof Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar | Colombia, Phase 1 | format: blog, language: english | colombia phase1 location | blog language-english |
Small Scale Peace: Fractures of Everyday Life and Transitional Policies | Journal article Read Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar (Phase 1 Colombia Project 'Tales of the Future) article titled 'Small Scale Peace: Fractures of Everyday Life and Transitional Policies in Colombia published in Revista … | Prof Alejandro Castillejo-Cuéllar | Colombia, Phase 1 | format: article, language: spanish, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities, SDG 16 Institutions | colombia phase1 location | article language-spanish sdg-11-sustainable-cities sdg-16-institutions |
Caja de Herramientas Methodological toolkit | Cuál es la verdad? (What is the Truth?) De-constructing collective memories and imagining alternative futures with young people in Chocó through music and arts is a Phase 2 Large Grant … | Colombia, Phase 2 | format: film, language: spanish, SDG 10 Inequalities, SDG 16 Institutions, subject: participatory arts | colombia phase2 location | film language-spanish sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions subject-participatory-arts |