Our panellists address – from personal experience – the impact and effectiveness of citizens’ assemblies and their future.

Drawing on work in Bristol, Scotland, London and Ireland, they look at their involvement in citizens’ assemblies and at where assemblies might develop next.

Councillor Asher Craig (Bristol City Council) looks at the early work of the Bristol Citizens’ Assembly on recovering from COVID-19 and creating a better future for all in Bristol. She is joined by Graham Smith, the internationally recognised expert on citizens’ assemblies and author of Can Democracy Safeguard the Future?, and Kate Wimpress, convener of the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland.

It’s important to us that ideas and debate are affordable to everyone. It’s also important that our commentators, artists, writers, poets and thinkers are paid. This is a Pay What You Can event. You are invited to choose your own contribution to the event, from £0 to £8. All proceeds go towards supporting our speakers and sustaining Bristol Ideas. The option to attend for free is available for all online events.

Festival of Ideas: How Do Citizens’ Assemblies Build Democracy?

Illustration by Willem Hampson