Twenty-Second International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

During 2024 the REDACTED project team developed and delivered twenty free workshops across ten public libraries and engaged over three hundred adults and young people. The project presented an opportunity for the participants to co-create a manifesto for change in regard to attitudes towards the toy industry. REDACTED is a collaboration between artistic and scientific interventions with the aim of seeking solutions that will move us towards more ethiically sound toy production and consumption. Through attendance at educational and fun workshops hosted by the library service participants were invited to consider possibilities around how we move from a linear towards a circular toy economy. Drawing on participatory and transformative art methods, and principles of the circular economy, participants were invited to come to a workshop to design and make their own superhero toy from old and broken toys, and to learn about the circular economy. The workshop activities became the conduit for discussion and ideas which led to the co creation of the manifesto. We produced a publication which documents the project activities and acts as a step by step guide to make new toys from old ones. This paper focuses on the methodology used in the delivery of the workshops to enable interested practitioners and communities to adapt and present the material in their own context. During the workshops, qualitative and quantitative data was collected using a survey format. The responses gathered demonstrated that the workshops had an impact on contributors to participate in climate change actions going forward.