Programme Selection Process

1. Pre-Filter

The team reviews all submissions and filters out any incomplete forms or sales pitches. The remaining submissions are then assessed based on their relevance to create a long-list for the jury.

2. Jury Evaluation

The jury assesses the long-listed submissions across four categories – impact, approach, transferability, and collaboration (see below). In the final assessment elements such as the project’s geography of impact, the gender and country of origin of the applicant and the topic(s) covered are also considered to ensure a balanced programme.

3. Digital Kick-Off Day Selection

The top scoring submissions are offered a 10 min programme slot at our Digital Kick-Off Day on 24 March. All submissions are also invited to get involved in our growing set of community activities.

4. Festival Selection

Based on a combined score from the jury voting and a further community voting, three sessions per language (German and English) will also be offered a live slot at the Festival on 2 June in Berlin.

Four Assessment Categories

Is there evidence or clear potential for impact?

The proposal demonstrates (clear potential for) a significant and sustained positive change – either within a public administration or driven by it to address a social issue or opportunity.

Has a 'creative bureaucracy' approach been taken?

The proposal demonstrates a creative reframing of a problem space and/or a fresh view of the public sector’s role in designing and delivering solutions. There is clear evidence of ‘creative bureaucracy’ qualities (see guiding definition below).

Could the approach/learnings be transferred to other contexts?

The proposal demonstrates the practical application of a creative idea and a transparent process with clear takeaways that would make it easy to translate to other contexts.

Is there evidence of collaboration?

The proposal demonstrates work at the intersection of different disciplines and sectors. It evidences a role of convening, connecting among and/or co-creating with different actors (e.g. citizens, other departments, private businesses).

A Few Key Creative Bureaucracy Definitions

What do we mean by ‘creativity’?

Creativity focuses on resourcefulness, imagination, responsiveness, adaptability and flexibility.

How can you recognise a ‘creative bureaucracy’?

Creative bureaucracy is about bureaucrats using their imagination and resourcefulness to solve problems with flexibility and adaptability. Creative bureaucrats are responsive and empathetic towards citizens’ needs and wishes, while never neglecting the legalities and political mandates that are the foundations of modern bureaucracies. Creative bureaucracies are able to work collaboratively and bottom-up around joint missions to experiment in real life settings as a way to identify new and better ways to deliver and solve problems, building bridges between different actors across disciplines and sectors. Creative bureaucracies work openly, transparently and humbly – acknowledging the limits of their knowledge and living a culture of continuous learning.

By comparison, how are the ‘classical bureaucracies’ we want to move away from?

Cultures in classical bureaucracies are deferential, top-down and hierarchical. They are more expert driven, technocratic and mechanical, and value the predicted and proven. They are less emotionally intelligent and embracing of experiential learning.

Who are we referring to with the term ‘bureaucrat’? And who are their ‘allies’?

We use the term ‘bureaucrat’ to refer to any individual working for a government organisation at a federal, regional or local level, or within an intergovernmental organisation. They can be elected or appointed, working as policymakers or at an operational level. We consider ‘allies’ to be individuals and organisations across sectors who are working with or for bureaucracies to advance the creative bureaucracy agenda.

Selection Criteria

Programme Selection Process

Four Assessment Categories

A Few Key Creative Bureaucracy Definitions