The Playable City® Award returns for a fourth year, inviting creatives from across the world to respond to the theme ‘Journeys’.
Watershed invites artists, designers, architects, technologists and creative practitioners to propose distinctive ideas to make our cities more livable, hopeful and collaborative.
With more than half the world’s population now living in cities, transport infrastructure is a key investment area of the smart city, with communication networks joining up sensors to connect services and make efficiencies. But the design of compelling, appropriate, engaging user experiences is often overlooked. A Playable City approach to urban journeying re-appropriates infrastructure and technology to start new conversations, imagine new futures and make human connections across the city.
Previous Playable City Award winners have captured significant global attention and toured worldwide from Austin to Bordeaux, Singapore to Tokyo, so the winning idea must reflect this ambition for international reach, allowing it to be installed in a wide range of city environments. The call for applications will remain open until 31 August 2016.
In addition to a £30,000 award, the R&D commission also offers dedicated practical support and guidance as well as generous access to facilities to enable the creators to realise their ideas. Whilst prototyping their project at Watershed’s Pervasive Media Studio in Bristol, they will also become part of a vibrant community of artists and creative technologists, providing extensive opportunities for collaboration.
Clare Reddington, Creative Director of Watershed and Executive Producer of the Playable City Award, says “This years award reflects the experience and learning that has come from our international Playable City network over the last three years. We are excited that the new theme will inspire projects that can scale globally and reflect our growing global network of creatives from Lagos to Tokyo.”
The award is funded by a network of organisations interested in exploring the future of creativity, technology and citizenship in urban spaces. Our 2016 supporters are Future Cities Catapult, Invest Bristol and Bath, University of Bristol and UWE Bristol. The Award is originated and produced by Watershed. The international Playable City network is produced in association with British Council.