Dungeons & Dragons
Collective Imagination sits at the heart of our practice, and this work takes that into the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Using play, we create spaces where people can connect, collaborate and explore different ways of being together.
We are developing a strand of work using Dungeons & Dragons as a tool for collective imagination, connection and community-building
In collaboration with artist, facilitator and Dungeon Master, Ell Hockney, a local prison library and Hartlepool Borough Council.
Dungeons & Dragons is a collaborative role-playing game where participants create characters, make decisions together and shape a shared story. Within our practice, it offers a structured but open space where people can explore identity, relationships and consequence through play, testing different ways of being in a setting that is both imaginative and grounded in group dynamics.
This work has been developed through initial activity in custodial settings, where the format has proven to be a powerful way to bring people together. Within these spaces, collective imagination creates moments of joy, connection and mutual support, where participants are able to step outside of their immediate circumstances and into a shared world built together.
Both in and out of prison, a community develops that is shaped by trust, collaboration and accountability.
Players rely on each other, make decisions together and experience the outcomes of those decisions as a group. In doing so, the game creates a space to rehearse empathy, responsibility and care, where actions have consequences but are held within a supportive environment.
This approach has clear potential both within and beyond custodial settings. By creating spaces where people feel connected, valued and able to imagine different futures, the work supports the development of stronger communities, where individuals are less isolated and more able to make positive choices.
As this strand of work develops, we are exploring how Dungeons & Dragons can sit alongside our wider practice, using collective imagination as a way to build connection, confidence and shared understanding across different contexts. This includes the development of a short film, created in collaboration with Ell Hockney, which brings together interviews, stories and moments from the project to highlight the joy, connection and community that emerge through play, sharing this work with wider audiences and opening up new conversations about its potential.