I had never heard of Davos before.
It was intriguing to learn about it during one of the workshops, where we discussed and summarised our assigned reading texts in groups. While I am familiar with other global events, such as TED Global, I had never come across Davos. Davos refers to the annual World Economic Forum (WEF), which led me to read the article for myself.
How Art Became a Force at Davos is an article written by Carol Becker in February 2019 for the World Economic Forum. Becker shares her experience attending Davos for the first time and her surprise at realising that art and the creative industries were not represented at one of the world’s largest gatherings of leaders. She explains how she began inviting artists to the forum, and over the years, more and more creative leaders have joined.
Moreover, Becker states: “Artists, writers, designers, filmmakers, cartoonists, and musicians of many nationalities have been invited, not as tangential guests but as essential participants in conversations around immigration; climate change; surveillance and privacy; the treatment of indigenous populations; urban issues; gender discrimination; disability inclusion; economic inequity; environmental sustainability; and world health.”
Throughout the article, she highlights some of the most prominent and memorable artists who have attended the forum each year and why their presence was significant. She also discusses projects that have been funded and commissioned using the forum’s resources and connections.
It is disheartening, though not entirely surprising, that the forum existed for over 50 years without including art or the creative industries. The work Becker is doing to integrate art into Davos is admirable and a significant achievement—art brings a unique perspective to global issues.
However, the article also gave me the impression that art still serves as entertainment and “decoration” while more serious discussions take place and business deals are made.
References:
Becker, C. (2019). How art became a force at Davos. World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2019/02/how-art-became-a-force-at-davos/. (Accessed 15 March 2025)
World Economic Forum (2025) World Economic Forum. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/ (Accessed 15 March 2025)