BrusselAVenir makes futures stories with and for the people of Brussels. In our first futures story, the radio show of the future discussed how Brussels has become climate-proof in the year 2030. Later, we explored how we will live together, and translated the collective and diverse future visions into audio stories on encounters on the tram in the year 2030. We made music tracks of the futures with youth talking about being young in Brussels in 2035. During our collaboration with Slovakia, we’ve created 3 short films with a group of 20 youngsters on how young people will bond in 2035. In May this year, we set up our latest project: a TV-like show called 20:40 Slessurb show that hacks all the devices in 2040 in a fictional city called Slessurb, Brussels in reverse, where technology dominates all aspects of everyday life. The show was broadcasted for 24 hours on BX1 television. All of these creations take place over several lab-like workshops in Brussels, our futuristic playground!

Now, with our partners Plurality University from Paris and YouthWatch from Slovakia, we want to gather with an interdisciplinary group of young people from Brussels and Bratislava in Paris for a 5-days lab and dive into futures. 

The futures lab will take place in an unique and extraordinary place, Césure, a former Sorbonne-Nouvelle campus – Censier, the biggest temporary occupation in Paris. Together with a group of 10 young people from Brussels, and 10 from Bratislava we’ll travel to the year 2050, imagine the everyday life in this world, what we will eat, wear, how we will live amidst a very different landscape because of changes in technology, environment, politics, jobs, economy and the global situation. Concretely we will imagine all that around this space and what this site of 25,000 m² can be in 2050. Together we will explore futures, and translate our visions through various creative mediums like audio, artifacts, crafting and illustrations.

Are you between 18-30 years old and fascinated by futures and its power to bring alternatives to various challenges? Interested in learning about futures literacy, an essential skill of the 21st century 🔮🚀? Or passionate about exploring with different creative and artistic formats in multidisciplinary teams 📽🎭🎨? Then you should be onboard with us on the train to Paris.

Send us a motivation letter or video here! Deadline for applications: Tuesday, 19 September 2023.

We are looking for:

• Brusselèirs (living/going to school/working in Brussels) between 18 and 30 years old…
• with an interest in the future and arts…
• with at least a basic knowledge of English

We offer:

• A five days futures lab in Paris, together with a group of Slovakians and Parisians
• Travel costs, accommodation and three meals a day are included
• Accompaniment of team members from BrusselAVenir, Plurality University and YouthWatch

Checklist before you apply:

• Are you between 18 and 30 years old?
• Are you free from 12-16 October 2023?
• Are you able to free at least 1-2 days after October (meet online) to finalize the project? (Moments of encounter will be decided on with the group)

This lab is part of the project Future is Now and funded by Erasmus Plus.