Theatrum Mundi teamed up with Central Saint Martin’s MA Cities, to deliver a workshop and walking tour of Elephant and Castle focused on our ongoing research project Urban Backstages. The events were part of MA Cities Unit 3 sprint, an intensive weekend exploring the context of alternative urban and civic practices. Urban Backstages looks at the hidden forms of production that underpin the cultural life of the city.
Participants were asked to bring an example of the ‘Urban Backstage’ from their own towns and cities. The workshop initiated a broader critical discussion exploring the hidden systems of finance, governance, and social networks that enable these spaces to exist and analysing their underlying material and ecological conditions.
This zine compiles the participant’s initial responses to a series of prompts and culminates in a discussion reflecting on how our cities can better maintain, support and activate sites of cultural production.
