Summary

Noticing The Future is creating a supported space for young people aged 12 to 18 to explore, own and evaluate self-initiated and creative responses to the current ecological and climate emergencies. We are working through the University of Exeter alongside Somerset Wildlife Trust in partnership with the performance production company Stacked Wonky.

Through involvement in this project, groups of young people will take action, empowered by expert researchers and creative practitioners to embolden them in their projects; to deepen their sense of agency, independence and efficacy.

This project centres the creativity, agency and skills of young people from West Somerset – a region with the lowest social mobility in England and a target concern of the Government’s recent Levelling Up Bill. Through a series of collaborative workshops, the participants create in-situ performances exploring concepts centring on connection, place, wellbeing, and purpose.

This exciting project is adopting an engaged approach to better understand, shape and share with others the role of performance and free-form creativity in generating meaningful engagement with place and future narratives – at a time of ecological and climate emergency.