The Rural Renaissance

2023 - 24

In 2023, four future scenarios were co-created with accompanying artefacts (Objects of the Future) during five days in Oslen, Bulgaria. The aim was to begin to develop resilience and sustainability within a growing community of families and young people located or interested in relocating to rural parts of the Bulgarian countryside. Desires and anxieties related to the far future were explored through collective provocations, uncovering tensions around how to form new ways of being that might foster a better quality of life; build shared values and greater stewardship of land and place; amongst others.

This initial futures intervention touched on themes related to how power is shared as collective ventures grow; job and livelihood prospects linking rural places to periphery and mainstream economies and pedagogical questions related to raising children outside of urban institutions.

In 2024, as the result of receiving a Culture Moves European grant, a design residency brought together ten artists, designers and futurists to support the growing community of Oslen to build their desired futures. Working with a local youth centre, young people were engaged with to reimagine abandoned spaces that might be transformed. Collaborative storytelling and prototyping workshops were used to spark the imagination of young people in the region and the local council.