Since the 1990s, the concept of participation has made a comeback in civil society but also in the political sphere as a generalization of public debate. Intrinsically linked to the process of individuation in contemporary society, the "participatory imperative" has gradually gained policymakers’ attention, therefore questioning the traditional way, based on elective legitimacy, that public action is implemented.Like other public policy, cultural policy is also facing the issue of citizen participation in the public decision process. Concepts of cultural democracy and more recently the ones of diversity and cultural rights have come to affirm people legitimacy to contribute effectively to the development of a shared political project.In spite of this, cultural policy seems to be inadequately prepared to face the participatory issue. The ideal of cultural democratization, which has legitimized government intervention in the cultural field since the creation of the Ministry of Culture, has also induced a strong hierachical system at the expense of citizens, further compromising the emergence of a new framework.However, the process of decentralization of public action has made municipalities a major producer of cultural policy. Culture has gradually become a key factor in local development aimed at both increasing attractiveness and ensuring social cohesion. In addition, cities have had to narrow the gap between decision centers and citizens in order to take into account the territory special needs and realities. They have embraced the notions of proximity and governance, and strive to implement them through various participatory devices. In support of these factors, municipalities could then initiate a change in governance and promote equalization in cultural legitimacies. In a bottom-up perspective, citizens are likely to provide new forms of co-construction regarding public policy. In a comparative approach, we propose to observe local participatory dynamics in the cultural field and assess their political and social impact.
