Project ︎︎︎ Future Fictions - Workshop & Exhibition

The process of story telling is a powerful force for change, by engaging people in a fictional landscape, we can give them the tools to think about place with fresh eyes, and without limits.

After years of rural exodus, the community of Doocastle came together to resist the construction of a motorway through the heart of the community. In early 2021 our campaign was successful, however it left a group passionate for change yet unable to visualise a clear future. Focused for too long on practical solutions that led us in circles, I felt the community needed to find a way to dream big.

I began developing my ‘Future Fictions’ workshop through research and experimentation, focusing on non-traditional techniques such as reverse archaeology and predictive text AI to make sure it was accessible to all. As the workshop took shape I also explored the community itself, discovering a local history anthology, an abandoned schoolhouse, a community centre across the county line, and a co-operative pub in a neighbouring town.



My outcome is the ‘Future Fictions’ workshop and exhibition. Inspired by extensive research into design fiction and community design, the workshop brings the community together to create a collaborative poem or short story inspired by the themes of community and place. In response to my findings I developed an exhibition proposal showcasing the narratives we produced, creating a website go alongside it.