2.4 Fresh Approaches

During the second part of CTC six prototypes projects were developed through collaborations between co-researchers, technologists ands xcreative professionals. Just as important as the products resulting from these prototype projects, has been developing and learning about unique and innovative co-design processes, many based on workshops. This extract is from a film about ‘Retirement Reloaded’. The final product is an interactive book that brings together the words of older women with animation. But it was a series of five writing workshops where the project’s collaborators: co-researcher/facilitator (Elanora Ferry) and artist/theatre producer (Liz Clarke) really drew out the lived experience and wisdom of the group of women involved, by giving time and space, and sharing their own lives. Workshopping has underpinned the development of all six of the prototype projects – allowing them to draw on lived experience to a degree that has rarely been seen in digital innovation. For ‘Retirement Reloaded’, the women’s writings were transformed into an interactive book by a creative technology company, Stand+Stare, and illustrator, Rosi Tooth, coming back to the group for input throughout the process. The book-reading rig senses which page the book is turned to and projects that page’s animation. But the impact is not all about the end product – the process of workshopping had huge value to those involved, helping them to feel heard and connected. For this project, the stories that didn’t make it into the final book were as important as those that were animated. The prototype interactive book went on to be demonstrated at the Healthy Ageing Challenge conference 2023. Georgina Densley from Alive Activities, who works with older care home residents, is intending to use the rig (with different content) for another project, but the impacts of partnership extend way beyond that. She has written, “the relationships and connections built through taking part in Connecting Through Culture has enabled Alive to further understand and articulate its potential role in cultural leadership and delivery, not just as a bridge organisation but as an inherently creative and innovative provider of co-created cultural offers…. We are now developing an Arts Council England proposal grown from this work, having never previously been funded by them.”

To watch the Retirement Reloaded film in full, as well as other films about our prototypes, please click here.