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Amusement, fun, delight, enthusiasm, joy, pleasure, play – whole industries are built on their promise. But what about the self-organized, non-commmercial, revolutionary side of amusement? And how to make it happen without ruining it?

We want to believe that amusement has the power to unleash forces necessary for progress – from personal journeys, to complex challenges, to societal change at large.

At the same time, we wonder about the place of amusement in a world in multiple crises. Is it time to forget about amusement and dedicate ourselves to the work of creatig a better future for all? Can amusement be part of that? Can we imagine a politics of amusement for these times? And why should we?

This Summer, you're invited to join a group of "amusement specialists" for a week-long collaborative summer camp in Spreepark, Berlin's most famous formerly abandoned amusment park. Where in GDR-times punks met up underneath a giant ferris wheel and later an adventurous entrepreneur put in place a 180° Cinema and Western Village (but couldn't prevent financial ruin), we find the ideal space for exchange, inspiration, collaboration and introspection. We hope today's security fencing will help us focus.

Become part of a mixed group of researchers, designers, practitioners with radically different backgrounds, skills, and working styles – but a shared interest in amusement and it's importance today. We want to spend the week learning from each other, run playtests and experiments to develop our practices and sharpen our thoughts.

Participation is free and open to anyone. We think it might be most rewarding for urbanists, games and play designers, activists and artists, but also philosophers and theorists, as well as workers in the endless universe of amusements.

For this edition we can only safely host a group of 20 participants. And because we'd like to offer the programme to a diverse group of people, please fill in the form if you'd like to join.

31 Aug – 4 Sept 2020
Spreepark
Kiehnwerderallee 1-3, 12437 Berlin

every day from 2pm-7pm

MON - check-in, planning and initial exchange, unconference-style
TUE - amusement DIY – suggestions for labs and experiments
WED - working in teams on new forms of amusement
THU - developing, testing, discussion
FRI - evaluation, documentation, closing ceremony

PRACTICAL & FAQ

- What's the deadline for sign-up?
AUG 21

- Is this a camp with sleeping?
Not this time! For AMÜSEMENT NOW we meet every afternoon from 2pm - 7pm in the park

- What about Covid-19?
The big advantage: We are outdoors in a huge space :) 1,50 x 1,50 x 1,50 x 1,50 ...

- How about accessibility?
Almost all of the workshop area is accessible. Please let us know in the sign-up form if you have any special needs we should be aware of. We'll sort the details beforehand!

- Are the park restaurants open again?
Well... sadly no. And they don't look like there will be kitchens there again anytime soon. For that reason (& because Covid) we recommend bringing your own food.

- Toilets?
Yes!
Accessible?
Let us know and we will figure it out.

- Is there a public presentation?
We'd like the results of AMÜSEMENT NOW to be useable for all participants of the camp, and we'd like to hand them over to the Grün Berlin, the management of the park to be presented later on. How exactly we'll figure out in the group together.

ein plänterwörld summercamp

WHO'S BEHIND THIS?

Over the last 10 years, we've been making projects in and with Spreepark, each time exploring different aspects and topics.

Lukas Matthaei, Performing Arts
http://matthaei-und-konsorten.de

Sebastian Quack, Artist/Game Designer/Curator
http://sebastianquack.com

ZKR - Zentrum für Kunst im Öffentlichen Raum
http://zkr-berlin.de

Contact: labor.spreepark@gruen-berlin.de

> Click on the images to find our more about past projects!