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 – in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut, Forensic Architecture, the Designing Journalism research group at Fontys Journalism and Controle 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?
10 September 2026 16:30 - 19:00
The event will take place at the Goethe-Institut in Amsterdam.
Led by researcher Jasmijn Apte and investigative journalist and theatre maker Kathlyn Wuyts, participants will explore the intersection of reporting, design and performance. How do you reconstruct an incident of police violence when existing journalistic and institutional narratives fall short?
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
- 18.30 – 19.30 Panel 1 Cases and Practice — The Case of Sammy Baker
- 19.30 – 21.00 Panel 2 Forms and Methodologies — Designing Journalism: Insights into Live Journalism
- 21.00 – 22.00 Networking Drinks with the Live Journalism Network.
The event is organised by the Goethe-Institut in Amsterdam.
Location: Goethe-Institut Amsterdam | Language: Engels | Tickets: € 5,- / free for students and with Goethe-pass, available from the Goethe-Institut.
TicketsPartners and curators
The public programme of Building Public Truths is co-curated by the research agencies Forensic Architecture, Forensis and Index, together with the Dutch human rights organisation Controle Alt Delete. This event is a prelude to the exhibition of the same name. The Goethe-Institut, which encourages international cultural cooperation with German and German-speaking initiatives, is hosting this edition of the event series.
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.