Forum shows importance of play in a vibrant city

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Making our city centre more fun and engaging for Canberrans both young and old will be the focus of a two-day forum in Canberra this week.

The 2017 Play (Creativity and Culture) Symposium will present an exciting line-up of local and national speakers who will discuss how the power of playfulness can create more liveable and sustainable urban environments.

City Renewal Authority chief executive Malcolm Snow said incorporating playfulness in urban design and place-making is about making our city more engaging and interactive for all Canberrans.

“Successful cities aren’t created merely through grand design projects and bold architectural statements but are created through how people interact with each other and the spaces they are in,” Mr Snow said.

“Play not only attracts children and families into the city but it can animate places and spaces to engage people and add to the user’s experience.

“When asked what they want from their cities, people frequently cite social interaction, a feeling of connectedness, greater creativity and sensory stimulation. The ability to interact or engage in a fun and playful way with their environment is critical in creating urban areas that provide people these experiences.

“This can be done through both how we design the city, and through how we use and activate the spaces that people use.”

Presented by the University of Canberra’s Centre for Creative and Cultural Research and the City Renewal Authority, the Play (Creativity and Culture) Symposium at the will feature experts presenting on a range of topics:

• Everyone can play: toward a people-led city
• The public realm and the city
• Digital play and the city
• Playing with senses in the city
• Art, play and public realm

Play (Creativity and Culture) Symposium is on from 22-23 November at the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre, 180 London Circuit Canberra.  Tickets are available for either one day ($30/$15 concession) or both days ($50/$30) at http://bit.ly/2zIYA6Z and include lunch, morning tea and afternoon tea.

 

 

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