Using future studies to trigger creativity

How can we think and work differently? In a changing environment, from economic, digital, environmental, territorial, community and political viewpoints, how can we develop adaptability and innovation capabilities in our work? In other words: “We, as circus and street arts professionals, work with and for artists and artistic creation. But are we creative enough ourselves?” These core questions were at the origins of the first Circostrada Lab (CS Lab), which gathered 18 persons during three days in May 2016 at La Grainerie, in Balma (France).

Using brainwork, creativity and future studies, this publication describes the concepts, mechanisms and tools used during the CS Lab, the exercises given to the participants, and also shares the subjective points of view of the speakers. It also meets a further objective: to achieve the widest possible dissemination of the reflexions and the overall experience of CS Lab. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1/ The Future Studies approach

• An introduction to future studies
• The future studies game: proposed ground rules based on the scenario method
• Output example: one of the groups’ scenarios
• Issues raised by the scenarios

2/ The creative approach 

• Playful experimentations
• Point of view: in search of a third way