What if we didn’t have to leave play behind as we grew older, but instead, we just got better at playing together, coming to understand play as a collaborative tool for exploring scientific, social, philosophical, and technical systems. In this workshop you can experience the collective dynamics of systems through play.

In the course of our investigations, we discovered something striking: that the structure of play and the structure of systems are homologous. This means that play and systems share the same fundamental structure, and the same principles of simple rules leading to the complex, self-organising, emergent patterns that we observe in nature.

Through play—yes, the seemingly frivolous activity of children and young animals —we can learn to appreciate how systems work and deepen our appreciation of the complexity and interdependence of ecological and cultural systems. The understanding that arises happens not only in our minds but also through our bodies, emotions, and the tactile nature of our shared interactions as we directly participate in these systems together.

In these sessions, we shall play. Play, play, play. Children’s games, playground games, systems games, language games, wild games, games for the sake of games, Running away, running after, pulling, pushing, turning in circles, relational, embodied, falling-over fun!

These games will use systemic principles to simulate the functions of different kinds of systems, such as swarms, organisms, collective minds, and computer algorithms. Together, we will become these systems through play.

The workshop draws on the unique research at CLEA ArtScience exploring play-based pedagogy and the homology between systems and play. Through collective games and embodied practices, concepts such as feedback, emergence and self-organisation tangible are transformed into interactive experiences.

In this workshop you will:

• Experience the dynamics of complex systems through interactive games.

• Experience the role of feedback, emergence, and adaptability in systems.

• Discover how playful, experiential learning can deepen understanding of complex ideas.

Who it is for?

Suitable for all ages and backgrounds. Educators, organisers, designers, policy people, artists, teams. We calibrate depth, pace and vocabulary to the room. Suitable for mixed groups and intergenerational settings.

Duration:

From a 3-hour primer, to a 2-day intensive workshop, to a multi-day course.

Language options:

English / French

Format:

In Person