Watershed is delighted to announce an open call for artists, creative producers and technologists to participate in ‘Recife: The Playable City’, an exciting new international initiative that brings together talented people from Brazil and the UK.

In collaboration with the British Council and Brazilian company Porto Digital, we’re seeking four UK based artists, four Brazilian based artists and four Brazilian based producers, who are interested in collaborating to develop experimental work exploring the theme of the Playable City.

A Playable City gives people permission to be playful in public, and is imagined as a counterpoint to a networked ‘Smart City’. A Playable City is a city where people, hospitality and openness are key, a place where residents and visitors are able to play, and to reconfigure places and stories.

Play is a compelling and powerful tool. It can change behaviour, transform perceptions of space, and inspire audiences to participate rather than simply observe. For this three-week programme, practitioners will work together in small teams, to develop playful interventions that rethink public space. Participants will spend two weeks developing ideas at Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol, and one week developing work at Porto Digital in Recife. Through a shared process of making and testing, practitioners will explore ideas with others, to develop work that responds to the challenges our future cities may face.

Recife: The Playable City is a continuation of Watershed’s ongoing explorations of this fascinating concept. We piloted the idea of a Playable City in 2012, when we ran a successful sprint with the British Council creating exciting new collaborations. This year we launched the inaugural Playable City Award, a major commission for a future-facing artwork - Hello Lamp Post premieres in Bristol this summer when sleeping street furniture will be waking up!

Victoria Tillotson from Watershed, says:

“Pushing forward understanding and potential use of digital technologies in the arts is integral to our work at Watershed. Recife: The Playable City will take these possibilities one step further, enabling artists from across culturesto collaboratively develop future-facing prototypes, reach new audiences and create new business opportunities.We’re delighted to work withPorto Digital and the British Council to deliver this unique opportunity and look forward to experiencing the work created.”

Pablo Rossello from the British Council, says:

”We’re delighted to be connecting one of the UK’s leading digital and cultural centres (Watershed) with Brazil’s most important technological cluster (Porto Digital) around this project. An increasing part of our work at the British Council’s Creative Economy Department revolves around facilitating international projects and dialogues which deepen our understanding of the way digital technology is opening up opportunities for the cultural sector. Recife: The Playable City is an exciting opportunity to understand how these new synergies can also affect social and urban change. We’re incredibly thankful to Arts Council England, who is our main supporter in this programme.”

UK Creative Producers will join us from UK associate organisations: Cornerhouse (Manchester), Site Gallery (Sheffield), Lighthouse (Brighton) and National Theatre Wales (Cardiff). Creative technologists from Watershed, the Pervasive Media Studio and partners in Brazil will help facilitate the programme.

Recife: The Playable Cityis now open for applications. For more information please download an application pack.

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