Artist in Residence
I have been invited to be the Artist in Residence at The Spring in Autumn 2021 working through play.
The ‘Play Artist in Residence’ programme is a new and unique project designed to create joyful, interactive moments for audiences and the community across all areas of The Spring’s programme. It aims to add elements of surprise, intrigue and excitement to visitors experiences through the art of play and offer co-creation opportunities for the community.
Further information is available at https://thespring.co.uk/opportunities-for-artists/play-artist-in-residence-project/
A little about me
I am an award-winning creative arts practitioner, using music, movement, spoken word and storytelling to design adventures and games for communities to play together. My first foray into the arts was in 2008 with possibly the world's oddest comedy pop song in a protest against bank charges [https://youtu.be/7wkuhJOtNKc] which hit the UK top 40 singles chart just ahead of Britney Spears and now sits with Radio 4’s Desert Island Disks. I’ve gone on to work with people from all walks of life: from little ones to silver ones, supermodels and everyday superheroes, from Sadlers Wells dancers to Secret Garden Party revellers, from masked balls in the Royal College of Arts to asylum seekers in Immigration Detention Centres.
Through my work I seek to provide uplifting community experiences which bring a light-hearted kindness to the world, encouraging connection and self-expression through art which nurtures relationships, improves mental health and increases confidence.
Cut this?
Physical education teacher & Founder of HandQ (⇢ games reportoire)
Associate Lecturer in playful learning @ Goldsmiths College, London (⇢ research skills)
Ceilidh folk dance caller, maypole dancing (⇢ ceremony, hosting)
Host of mass games, participatory theatre (⇢ experience design)
Song-writer in immigration detention centres (⇢ musician, sound production)
The Spring: Play Artist in Residence
What really interests me about this project is the concept of a ‘play artist in residence’ - I think it’s a novel idea and I’d love to be involved in developing this concept.
Springboard / The Play Lab / PlayHQ (draft titles)
The Play Lab is the place to experiment with games by ‘re-creating’ traditional games in new ways.
In this way, connections are made between online and offline forms of play, using digital apps to enrich real world experiences and facilitate connections between more diverse participants.
See my recent work on this at www.kcdcollective.com/participatory-arts
The core idea of the Play Lab is a ‘Springboard’ or inspiration for the Spring community to think of themselves as artists & scientists of play.
This will be achieved through a series of playful interventions following a process of:
i) engage with play
ii) adapt the play
iii) share the play
Example interventions
Infusing the everyday with play (#everydayplay)
Using principles of ‘gameful design’ (McGonigal), ‘well-played games’ (De Koven) and ‘Art of Game Design’ (Schell) how can we engage the community with ideas to increase the playfulness of:
The way food is served in the cafe?
The way tickets are given to shows?
The people approach the building?
The social media strategy?
This intervention could lead to a case study / ‘how to guide’ for cultural institutions to increase opportunities for play.
New folk games
Linking the physical with the digital.
On-site, analogue / Classic table-top folk games in foyer (shove ha'penny, bar skittles, Crokinole etc) and outdoors (giant jenga, viking chess)
Off-site, digital / My Tik-Tok top folk games playlist (really funny) upvote the best / try it out at home / make your own
Combining beauty, natural materials, craft, tradition, stories with the collaborative and creative tools of future-facing digital media.
Havantger / Scavantger Hunt (working titles!! - think Pokemon Go meets Crystal Maze!)
i) Engage: Participants invited into an app-based scavenger hunt (E.g. Actionbound app, Sparkle) to find local landmarks & secret treasures, collecting points and e-badges via digital interaction (e.g . photo mascot/cuddly toy in location) which lead back to The Spring - ‘the HQ of play’.
ii) Adapt: Inviting additions to the trail from performers, audience and wider community. E.g. Older community members digitally ‘pin’ audio stories to the trail, local walkers club knowledge, music from the fusion group, art from the art groups, app design workshops for teens / young adults.
iii) Share: Invite friends to see if they can find your clue. Share and tag your creation on socials (#playlab)
Through these interventions the Play Lab will aim to
Reach out to people, including established, passing, and new audiences, by an initial process of wider engagement which leads back to the physical space of the Spring
Highlight shows / exhibitions taking place at the Spring, cross-fertilising engagement, integrating the Spring’s offerings and leaving a digital legacy.
Develop games-based research methodologies, using the interactive features of games to capture data for evaluation. I’m currently developing these ideas in an Mres research degree.
I believe that play works best when people feel safe to engage creatively with the process, leading to a feeling of shared ownership of the outcomes.
Inclusivity
Audio-led resources for hard-of-sight communities
Closed caption for hard-of-hearing - included in budget? Closed caption
Home-based activities for those who are housebound
In some cases budgetary support may be required.
Timeline (My preference would be autumn 2021)
i) Pre-engagement with Spring staff & other stakeholders to prepare
ii) Strong sustained on-site presence at launch - some focused days of foyer ‘takeovers’
iii) Period of continuing digital engagement combined with onsite visits (+school visits?)
iv) Final event - Play Lab Olympics? Sharing invented games and final Scavantger Hunt
Budget (£5000 + £3000 performance/materials)
Time in building & maintaining digital infrastructure, edu license (£1500)
Time in onsite planning, community visits and delivery (£3000)
Traditional games and materials (£500)
Anna Bruder - design and artwork - visual cohesion between on-site and digital (£1000)
I’d like to bring in Lisa Davis Bubble Yoga for the launch period who does incredible work with bubbles and sensory beauty, particularly good for children with learning differences. (£1000)