Decentralised Creativity: Exploring the potential of co-creation in web3
The first time I heard the term ‘scenius’ I thought: yesss! The idea that lone brilliance isn’t enough, that genius ‘can be embedded in a scene rather than in genes.’ I love this concept and have long been sold on the notion that in creative collaboration the sum is pretty much always greater than its parts.
Now, our collective future depends on collaboration more than ever. I often cite this quote from the business leadership book, Humble Leadership, where authors Edgar and Peter Schein outline some key points about the future of working together:
Organizations around the world are struggling with the increasing rate of change, the degree of global interconnectedness, multiculturalism, and the pace of technological advances … It is becoming obvious that keeping pace in this world will require teamwork and collaboration of all sorts … Leadership in this environment is categorically humbling because it is virtually impossible for an individual to accumulate enough knowledge to figure out all the answers.
What if we moved beyond old ideas of leadership and hierarchical systems of working? What if new ways of working were more deeply collaborative? What if we said bye-bye to lone hero creativity? What if we moved towards ecosystems rather than egosystems? And what if it all was enabled and accelerated by new technology that facilitated new ways of organizing? Yes, yes, I’m talking about web3.
Some people grimace when they hear the term ‘web3’ as it conjures cryptobro stereotypes or… who knows. But, one of my favourite descriptions of web3 that I’ve heard is Shuya Gong, Design Director at IDEO, talking about it on the trash*talk studios podcast (starting around 8:40 if you want to skip along). She says “web3 is prototyping for a new economy” and describes it as a convergence of lots of technologies that have been maturing for a long time happening at the same moment as we’re seeing new incentives and values around what we want to see in the world.
A confluence of technological and ideological shifts. A groundswell of innovation. Hope in the form of imagination. At a time when the world could benefit from change.
Personally, I’m inspired by who I’ve met and what I’ve seen in the web3 spaces: wildly intelligent, innovative, empathetic, next gen thinkers and builders who are all open to one powerful idea — what if there’s a better way to do things?
That’s critical optimism and it has the potential to unleash creativity and co-creation in important and interesting ways. As a creative in the advertising industry, I have made many collaborative projects, and yet, I can feel how we were still mostly operating within hierarchical, solo-hero, centralized systems of thinking. There are new ways unfolding.
At RADAR, where I have been contributing and exploring co-creation and futures thinking for the last year, we think of it as multiplayer futures.
It feels like there is a surge of people pushing the boundaries of what it means to co-create and be creative together.
I could go on, but, let’s save some of that geeking for the Huddle, amirite?
WHO IS THIS HUDDLE FOR?
Are you curious about the future of making things together? Are you into art, design, writing, zines, DAOs, token governance, NFTs, new media, new creative economies, and/or the future of collaboration? We don’t have to be experts, but you should be excited to geek on these kinds of themes.
HOW’S IT GOING TO HAPPEN?
Since this is a peer-to-peer learning journey in the Huddle style, we’ll be designing some elements together as we go. But, the structure we do that in is:
- a kickoff where we meet each other and talk about what we’re into
- weekly sessions (Fridays at noon EDT / 5pm BST) where we take turns sharing content related to each of our own learning questions within the topic of decentralised creativity
- async working to co-create something (for example, a zine about decentralised creativity and our ideas about it)
- 3 months, September 22 — December 15, 2–3+ hours per week commitment
WHY SHOULD I?
Do it to:
- Learn more about the evolution of collaboration
- Find better ways to co-create
- Have fun being curious and creative
ABOUT THE HOST
A little about me, your host: I am an Executive Creative Director at The Local Collective, an ad/design agency in Toronto, Canada. I’ve always been interested in the intersection of art, tech and culture. In 2020, I used my lockdown era to complete the Futures Thinking specialization with The Institute for the Future. Since mid-2022, I’ve been a core contributor at RADAR where we are exploring how to build better futures in multiplayer mode. I’m super interested in spaces that nurture creativity and cultures that make making things together more fun.
“Caitlin’s creative energy is infectious — she brings so much fun and enthusiasm into every room that you can’t help but ideate alongside her!” —
Keely Adler, Research Instigator @ RADAR
Q & A
Why is decentralised spelled with an ‘s’?
It’s the UK spelling of decentralized. The Collective Imagination Practice Community and Huddlecraft are based in the UK. We can also use decentralized to get those goog hits if we want.
How much does it cost?
The only thing it costs is your time and energy. (We have a modest accessibility stipend if that would help you participate in some way, there’s a section in the application to apply.)
How will you approach diversity, inclusion and accessibility?
We recognise the importance of diverse voices in co-creation and creativity. Not only in terms of professions or cultures, but also geographies, languages, lived experiences, ages, histories and interests. We therefore want to welcome and support anyone with a strong intention to take part, and aim to ensure that your identity or background will not be a barrier.
Though there are some limitations (using English as our common language, and finding a time to suit us all), it is our ambition to make this space as inclusive and diverse as possible. We will try to achieve this through the recruitment process, looking for a set of unique rather than homogenous voices, and choosing a time that suits as many as possible, not just the few. In the application you are invited to share about yourself, as well as your access needs and preferences. We will incorporate this conversation into the group from the very first session, so that we can together co-create an inclusive space for all.
In addition, we hope the format of the Huddle itself will encourage diversity through the sub-themes explored by the group. This will allow for different perspectives and priorities to be considered, and open the whole group up to seeing, discussing and understanding these crucially different perspectives. We are open to input and evolving things as we go.
What if I have more questions?
You can reach out to me directly at caitlin.keeley@gmail.com.
INTO IT? APPLY HERE.
Link. Applications are due August 20, 2023.
