We were enormously excited about the Prioritising Play Conference! Kelsey of KOOP Adventure Play gathered a remarkably knowledgeable, talented and genuinely diverse line-up of play and playwork people.
The conference ran for 7 weeks online conference with different focuses each week. Pop-Up Adventure Play was keen to support this conference, alongside the lovely folks of the Playwork Collective.
Justifying time for professional development might have felt difficult at the time, but these presentations went straight to the heart of what makes playwork such an art. There was an invaluable thread of anti-oppressive and liberatory practices, offering powerful insights for personal transformation, whether or not participants were currently working with children.
We contributed a workshop on spatial justice which was featured on Week 2. In it, we discussed the pop-up adventure playground model as a way of claiming public places for children’s right to play. This session shared what we’d seen over several years – how these events can catalyse the adventure play movement by starting where we live, right now.
Some personal thoughts
Both of us had more individual reasons for being particularly happy that we want like to share.
Morgan: I’ve talked through the play cycle about a thousand times – but never specifically related to gender creativity! I’ve never spoken candidly and publicly about my queer identity and its impact on my playwork practice. Kelsey and I have already recorded this conversation (in which we also talk about play as unpacking shame!), but there will be a live Q&A following its release on Week 1.
Suzanna: In so many professional settings, I’ve been the only playworker of colour. It’s been an exhausting process to keep having to talk with white people about racism and what that means for me. I’m pleased to say that this conference will be hosting what might be the first all-POC playwork panel, on the subject of anti-racism the focus of Week 6. I’m personally really excited to be speaking with other playworking people of colour, I am certain that we’re all in store for a remarkable conversation.
We are so glad to be part of this thoughtfully put together conference. Moreover, we hope that you will be part of it too.
By Morgan
