Building Public Truths: Designing Journalism

In the run-up to the Building Public Truths exhibition, the Nieuwe Instituut is presenting a programme in the experimental field of 'live journalism' – live journalism reports on events as a shared experience, mediated by journalists for a live audience – together with the Goethe-Institut Niederlande, Forensic Architecture | Forensis, Correctiv and Control Alt Delete. Often official (media) accounts of fatal incidents fail to represent appropriately the tragedy experienced by the next of kin. How can alternative forms of journalistic research and presentation fill such gaps and bring new forums for public debate?

Led by researcher Jasmijn Apte and investigative journalist and theatre maker Kathlyn Wuyts, participants will explore the intersection of reporting, design and performance.

Fatal incidents
Various experts will explore the principles and methods of live journalism under the banner of Designing Journalism. Drawing on their experience in areas such as the press, theatre, human rights activism and design, the speakers will explore where journalistic reporting meets the complex interplay of victimhood and situatedness in media. Using cases involving fatal incidents caused by police violence, such as the Sammy Baker case, the invited speakers will reflect on the potential of live journalism and practical ways to work within it.

Programme

Panel discussions will feature Jacob Jargon from Correctiv, the German press agency; Forensic Architecture’s Bob Trafford; Stijn Postema, a researcher and lecturer at the UvA and the Designing Journalism research group at Fontys University of Applied Sciences);  Dionne Abdoelhafiezkhan and Jair Schalkwijk from Controle Alt Delete; and others.

• 18:30 - 19:40 | Panel 1: Cases and Practice — The Case of Sammy Baker
• 19:40 - 19:50 Short break
• 19:50 - 21:00 | Panel 2: Forms and Methodologies — Designing Journalism: Insights into Live Journalism
• 21:00 - 22:00 | Networking Drinks with the Live Journalism Network
  Continue the conversation with speakers, researchers, journalists, students, and practitioners during informal networking drinks.

Building Public Truths event series

In the run-up to the opening of the Building Public Truths exhibition in March 2027, the Nieuwe Instituut and partner institutions are organising a number of gatherings where architects and other designers, journalists, policymakers, social workers, activists and students will explore the exhibition themes from their own professional and societal perspectives.

The exhibition

The Building Public Truths exhibition demonstrates, through three case studies, how spatial designers can apply their knowledge, skills and techniques to counter-investigation.