The (im)possibility of children's participation in professional theatre: Engagements and commonality

Abstract This article analyzes participatory measures within professional, publicly funded children's theatre. Although increasing citizen participation has been an objective of cultural policy in Sweden since the 1970s—with children a specifically targeted group—problems achieving participatory goals persist. Drawing on ethnographic data, we theorize participatory measures by applying Laurent Thévenot's sociology of engagements. Our findings suggest that participation in children's theatre falls into one of three ‘plans’: 1. A plan of expert consultants, 2. A plan for the future, and 3. A plan for artistic collaboration. We conclude that although there is potential for creating commonality, there are also obstructing challenges on the level of engagement. The article argues for an interdependent relationship between participation and commonality concerning children's participation. In conclusion, mismatched frames of engagement make us question participation as a political and social pursuit, especially in intergenerational settings, and we thus call for a turn to commonality.