Project 1
Seedbank Studio
Empowerment Exchange
Client
The Guild of Saint George, Bay20 Community Centre
Duration
Nov. 2023 - Apr. 2024
Achievements
Research & strategy, creative ideation, illustration & visual design, workshop design and facilitation
A Research Lab and Design Studio that designs interventions to enhance community building and empowerment through the power of creativity
Who is it for?
Communities affected by systemic issues, and the organisers and leaders of the communities. During our project, we explored food banks guided by our main hypothesis: If we introduce socially accepted food practices and creative engagement into the community, we will foster more positive connections and help alleviate stigma among food bank users.
What is the big idea?
Using the concept of Asset Based Community Development, we build on embodied knowledge of community members, to develop strengths and create opportunities for all members.
What opportunity does it create?
Capture and share knowledge embedded in a community, to empower its members and enhance connection. We focus on a community's strengths to enhance it, rather than on what the community is lacking.
How does it work?
Our Prototype:
We ran a successful workshop where we engaged users in conversations to gather their recipes and the stories behind them. Using handmade recipe cards, we encouraged individuals to share their culinary memories, opening the discussion with a simple question: what's your favourite biscuit to dip in tea? This sparked a dialogue about their favourite recipes, their origins, and if they'd like to illustrate them for us.
Our prototype recipe cards:
Expected outcomes - Shift in network dynamics
Creating new hubs of connection by empowering storytellers. Paving the way towards a more resilient network.
Our plan moving forward:
We will provide a creative workshop platform for new voices to be heard, engaging users with creative storytelling workshops that open up a conversation about memories, stories and recipes.
We will then record this information, archiving the community DNA within a cookbook, and humanising foodbank communities by providing a positive platform for their voices to be heard.
Accompanying the book, we hope to set up a street food kitchen crafting an environment that redefines perceptions and elevates the collective self-worth of individuals within the community. We aim to shift the narrative from one of stigma to one of empowerment, transforming those in need into active contributors. This will bring the cookbook to life and facilitate a space for connection and conversation whilst promoting positive social change and empowering a community.
Presenting our findings to Utrecht University of the Arts
