Future Assembly

Future Assembly was a pilot project that brought together teenagers and people over 60, to create aspirational visions of the future. It was an investigation into how creativity and co-creation can be used to enable more active citizenship across generational and cultural divides.

The Future Assemblies took place in Liverpool, Exeter, Ipswich, Newcastle and London in 2016.

The Assemblies were designed to take the participants through a series of creative stages, modelled on rehearsal processes and future forecasting methodologies. It merged techniques from theatre, creative writing and future visioning. The process was designed to help participants cross existing divides and co-create values, visions and policy manifestos. Just as important as the manifestos, are the new kinds of conversations, new relationships across divides and a deeper sense of empathy across difference that the assemblies generate.

“It inspired me to try and improve the world around me, and showed me that people have the power to make change just as much as the politicians in Westminster do. It also inspired me to talk to more people from different backgrounds and of different ages about issues such as the environment and politics.”

Megan (15) - Future Assembly participant Ipswich