{"id":6828,"date":"2026-03-31T22:07:47","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T22:07:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/?page_id=6828"},"modified":"2026-04-15T12:35:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T12:35:51","slug":"utopia-and-failure-the-metaverse-care-cafe-project","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/utopia-and-failure-the-metaverse-care-cafe-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Utopia and Failure &#8211; The Metasteps Care Cafe Project"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>This project was funded by AHRC Networking Grant (2023-2026) Grant Ref: AH\/X009122\/1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.13140\/RG.2.2.27578.56006\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.13140\/RG.2.2.27578.56006<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/?page_id=6868\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"6868\">Created by Dr Heather McKnight, Kirsty Lumm and Dr Jimmy Turner <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Music by <a href=\"https:\/\/alienalarms.bandcamp.com\/\">Alien Alarms<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" style=\"border: none;\" src=\"https:\/\/metasteps.com\/viewer\/embed\/adc094ed-4b13-492d-a364-ace52b2642a3?showSignIn=1&#038;showCommunications=0\" title=\"Utopia and Failure - Academic Care Caf\u00e9\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>The aim of the Fail Again, Fail Better? network was to re-evaluate the place of failure in utopia &#8211; by which we include both utopian fictional narratives, and radical experiments in living and governing. Exploring failure interreacting with utopia that breakdown, rupture, and unachieved goals are not seen only as limits on action, so failure can support utopian thinking and practice rather than undermine it. You can find more information here: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gtr.ukri.org\/projects?ref=AH%2FX009122%2F1\">Fail Again, Fail Better? Recuperating Failure in Utopian Politics and Research<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As part of this project, we created an online <a href=\"https:\/\/metasteps.com\/\">metasteps <\/a>space where people can convene, and view in a 3D online space representing some creative elements from the project at any time. You can click this link with or without a login and see the site! <a href=\"https:\/\/metasteps.com\/viewer\/adc094ed-4b13-492d-a364-ace52b2642a3\">https:\/\/metasteps.com\/viewer\/adc094ed-4b13-492d-a364-ace52b2642a3<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It will take a couple of seconds to load, and you can view it on a phone, tablet or laptop, or through the Metaverse App via <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.metasteps.app&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;pli=1\">Google <\/a>or <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/metasteps\/id6749239076\">Apple<\/a>. You can use the map in the bottom-left-hand corner, the arrow keys, or drag the screen or trackpad to walk around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"625\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S6gDclV0S7k?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/dreams-edge-1.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"602\" height=\"245\" data-id=\"6930\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/dreams-edge-1.png?resize=602%2C245&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6930\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/dreams-edge-1.png?w=602&amp;ssl=1 602w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/dreams-edge-1.png?resize=300%2C122&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 602px) 100vw, 602px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to interact with other people in the space, you will need a login. To sign up for an account and build an avatar, you can login at <a href=\"https:\/\/auth.metasteps.com\/realms\/metasteps\/protocol\/openid-connect\/auth?client_id=react-app-dev&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fmetasteps.com%2Fauthentication%2Fcallback&amp;scope=openid%20profile%20email&amp;response_type=code&amp;state=1dZ3bJPeTIEDzvkB&amp;nonce=WTuAKCFJBxVU&amp;code_challenge=6Bnp8riw1o0AuZHqaOljkNBwNDom1VDPZoH23sPpHYc&amp;code_challenge_method=S256\">this link<\/a>. We recommend using a personal&nbsp; or work email address rather than a university one to avoid beng blocked by some university IT systems. Remember the confirmation email can end up in spam if you do not see it in your inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can change your avatar by going to the top right-hand side and going to the round profile button on the top right-hand side (beside the create button) then clicking on Profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first two chambers of the interactive space detail the Academic Care Cafe (more details below) from the Newcastle Utopia and Failure event, the third chamber of the gallery gives the background of the projects that informed this event. If you walk outside the building, we have covered the walls with poetry and prose from the Edinburgh event. Don&#8217;t forget to look at the side spaces in chambers 1 and 3!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/map-for-care-cafe-scaled.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/map-for-care-cafe.jpg?resize=625%2C381&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Map of the Metasteps Space\" class=\"wp-image-6892\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/map-for-care-cafe-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C624&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/map-for-care-cafe-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C183&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/map-for-care-cafe-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C468&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/map-for-care-cafe-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C936&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/map-for-care-cafe-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1248&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/map-for-care-cafe-scaled.jpg?resize=624%2C380&amp;ssl=1 624w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/map-for-care-cafe-scaled.jpg?w=1250&amp;ssl=1 1250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/map-for-care-cafe-scaled.jpg?w=1875&amp;ssl=1 1875w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image002-1-scaled.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"284\" data-id=\"6875\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image002-1.png?resize=625%2C284&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6875\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image002-1-scaled.png?resize=1024%2C466&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image002-1-scaled.png?resize=300%2C136&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image002-1-scaled.png?resize=768%2C349&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image002-1-scaled.png?resize=1536%2C699&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image002-1-scaled.png?resize=2048%2C932&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image002-1-scaled.png?resize=624%2C284&amp;ssl=1 624w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image002-1-scaled.png?w=1250&amp;ssl=1 1250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image002-1-scaled.png?w=1875&amp;ssl=1 1875w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image001-scaled.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"285\" data-id=\"6874\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image001.png?resize=625%2C285&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6874\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image001-scaled.png?resize=1024%2C467&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image001-scaled.png?resize=300%2C137&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image001-scaled.png?resize=768%2C350&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image001-scaled.png?resize=1536%2C701&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image001-scaled.png?resize=2048%2C934&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image001-scaled.png?resize=624%2C285&amp;ssl=1 624w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image001-scaled.png?w=1250&amp;ssl=1 1250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image001-scaled.png?w=1875&amp;ssl=1 1875w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Click on any piece of text, photo or video and then on the \u2018i\u2019 button for more details. If you are logged in and using microphone to interact with others in the space, you will get louder or quieter depending on how close you are to other participants. There are volume controls at the side, and if you click on the emoji button at the bottom middle, you will see an option for different character moves!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"357\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png?resize=625%2C357&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png?resize=1024%2C585&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png?resize=300%2C171&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png?resize=768%2C439&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png?resize=1536%2C878&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png?resize=624%2C357&amp;ssl=1 624w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png?w=1986&amp;ssl=1 1986w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png?w=1250&amp;ssl=1 1250w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image.png?w=1875&amp;ssl=1 1875w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><u>Academic Care Caf\u00e9: Rebuilding the University by Playing in the Rubbish<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Background to the Cafe Structure<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So-called \u201ccafe spaces\u201d have become a term for quasi-therapeutic spaces where people come together to share thoughts and feelings on a particular topic that have perhaps been around for a long time under different names. The most recent popularisation of them, however, can be traced to the emergence of death cafes, grief cafes, menopause cafes and care cafes for activists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The paper presented at the Newcastle Conference <a href=\"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/2025\/08\/05\/utopia-and-failure\/\"><em>Weaving Failure into the Utopian Fabric \u2013 Artistic Engagements within Creative Care Caf\u00e9 Structures<\/em><\/a><em>,<\/em> focused on the use of creative methods in the Brighton-based <a href=\"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/2023\/01\/15\/reconnect-creative-climate-cafe-update-from-anger-to-action\/\">Creative Climate Cafes<\/a> project and <a href=\"https:\/\/menoandmind.org\/\">Menopause and Mind<\/a> projects. It addressed personal processes and case studies of these two projects, which use the arts within the traditional conversational care caf\u00e9 structures. As they aim to utilise the transformative potential of creativity to incite the utopian impulse within participants in what Utopian Philosopher Ernst Bloch would call the \u201cdarkness of the lived moment\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-10.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"470\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-10.jpeg?resize=625%2C470&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6842\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-10.jpeg?resize=1024%2C770&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-10.jpeg?resize=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-10.jpeg?resize=768%2C577&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-10.jpeg?resize=624%2C469&amp;ssl=1 624w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-10.jpeg?w=1177&amp;ssl=1 1177w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>These caf\u00e9 spaces are spaces of anticipatory failure. In a sense, these caf\u00e9 spaces are also Microutopias (events and projects that are small, planned resistances and social experiments) which set out to embed and identify failure as part of the action and being within their spaces.<a href=\"#_edn1\" id=\"_ednref1\">[i]<\/a> There is a focus on finding ways to live with the crisis and find ways to combat it. It is possible to view these caf\u00e9 spaces as heterotopias where the normal rules operate differently. Here we are seeing human failings as a necessary and inherent part of life that we have to \u2018be with\u2019 rather than escaping or resolving our failure.<a href=\"#_edn2\" id=\"_ednref2\">[ii]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>The Academic Care Cafe Workshop<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"625\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VjorP6V2ko8?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>At the Utopia and Failure event, we wanted to extend this notion of care cafes to academia, acknowledging the critical times academics are facing. Our Academic Care Caf\u00e9 explored the failure of the potential utopian space that is the university today. Mired in managerialism, neoliberalism and capitalism, boxed, siloed, and divided, the academic spaces we live in are those of epistemic structural harm that are geared more towards market values and monetary value than caring for staff, students and the production of knowledge that can support and change the world for the better. Precarity is rife and support for the emotional toll of the discriminatory structures are rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-6.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"615\" height=\"463\" data-id=\"6837\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-6.jpeg?resize=615%2C463&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6837\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-6.jpeg?w=615&amp;ssl=1 615w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-6.jpeg?resize=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 615px) 100vw, 615px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"258\" data-id=\"6841\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?resize=625%2C258&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6841\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?resize=1024%2C423&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?resize=300%2C124&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?resize=768%2C318&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?resize=624%2C258&amp;ssl=1 624w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?w=1504&amp;ssl=1 1504w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?w=1250&amp;ssl=1 1250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This was an experiment in creating a space of care, expression and openness. We invited participants to bring materials from their own universities, we had some fascinating contributions. One participant brought a printout of their philosophy department of which they were deeply proud, an example of how things can still work and function and inspire! Others had brought printouts of style guides from the marketing department that would not print properly onto A4 paper, words hanging off pages, while demanding precision from the staff. Signs of under-resourcing and questionable priorities. We are deeply grateful for this engagement which took consideration and further labour. Newcastle University provided boxes, old leaflets and marketing materials that fulfilled the initial structures of the cardboard institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-8.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"470\" data-id=\"6840\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-8.jpeg?resize=625%2C470&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6840\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-8.jpeg?w=905&amp;ssl=1 905w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-8.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-8.jpeg?resize=768%2C577&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-8.jpeg?resize=624%2C469&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"359\" data-id=\"6838\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.jpeg?resize=625%2C359&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6838\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.jpeg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.jpeg?resize=300%2C173&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.jpeg?resize=768%2C442&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-5.jpeg?resize=624%2C359&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In this workshop space, we encouraged participants to dismantle what does not work, create hope from the rubble, engage in collage and sculpture and work in the spirit of collaboration to reimagine and reconstruct the form of the university. We told participants that is no right or wrong in this place of play, encouraging speaking, sharing, and reflecting while doing. Working with upcycled university marketing materials or \u2018rubbish\u2019, we encouraged people to rip, cut and crawl through these new landscapes, bringing new life and hope to the spaces that fail us through discriminatory practices, racist agendas, gendered hierarchies, sexual identity discrimination and ableist practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What we created on day one in room 1:04 faced the disruption of moving to room 1:13 on day two. This was seen as allowing for further reimagining and exploration of the fluidity and malleability often experienced within times of systemic chaos. This process was not some profound artistic choice but a response to the Kafkaesque bureaucracy of the academy, which meant being unable to book the same room for two days. The creative responsivity of the hosts to this situation embodied the stoic humour and pragmatic determinism that is required to survive in the academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-2.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"469\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-2.jpeg?resize=625%2C469&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6834\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-2.jpeg?w=627&amp;ssl=1 627w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-2.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-2.jpeg?resize=624%2C468&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We are creating an online journey through the final work that can be engaged with online as an interactive virtual gallery. This will be up and running for the September event where you can join us in finding hope and despair through creative practice and shared stories!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"258\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?resize=625%2C258&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6841\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?resize=1024%2C423&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?resize=300%2C124&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?resize=768%2C318&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?resize=624%2C258&amp;ssl=1 624w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?w=1504&amp;ssl=1 1504w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-9.jpeg?w=1250&amp;ssl=1 1250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout the workshop, we played an album by artist Alien Alarms (Jim Purbrick) at the time an unreleased album <em><a href=\"https:\/\/alienalarms.bandcamp.com\/album\/utopia-or-dystopia\">Utopia or Dystopia<\/a><\/em>.We wanted to offer a chance to respond to this piece, which aimed to be part of the process of dissolving the walls between the academic and non-academic spaces. Alien Alarms combines poetry, prose, philosophy and found sounds with live, improvised generative rhythms, beat chopping and custom software to make music about love, loss, technology and society. The music switched between the deeply political call to arms, the failure of systems and hopes for the future (which may very well be doomed).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Care Caf\u00e9 Reflections &#8211; Utopia or Failure?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We held two discussions and made notes throughout so we could reflect on the event. Themes such as connectivity emerged, one participant noted \u201cI began by wanting to make tubes to connect, they became legs \u2013 things change as you work with them\u201d, the lack of structure (both instructionally and physically) meant that participants could begin with one intention and then take it in another direction, rather than a blueprint of a utopia or dystopia there was a sense of making it up as you go along.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-13.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"382\" height=\"513\" data-id=\"6844\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-13.jpeg?resize=382%2C513&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6844\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-13.jpeg?w=382&amp;ssl=1 382w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-13.jpeg?resize=223%2C300&amp;ssl=1 223w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 382px) 100vw, 382px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-11.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"469\" data-id=\"6843\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-11.jpeg?resize=625%2C469&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6843\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-11.jpeg?resize=1024%2C769&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-11.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-11.jpeg?resize=768%2C577&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-11.jpeg?resize=624%2C469&amp;ssl=1 624w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-11.jpeg?w=1438&amp;ssl=1 1438w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-11.jpeg?w=1250&amp;ssl=1 1250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-3.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"468\" data-id=\"6835\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-3.jpeg?resize=625%2C468&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6835\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-3.jpeg?w=710&amp;ssl=1 710w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-3.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-3.jpeg?resize=624%2C468&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Addressing the architecture being added, some was clearly dystopian. The tower with the eye was a panopticon reference in a time of recorded lectures, surveillance under prevent and increasingly relevant under laws that monitor academics online and off. it was observed that this university we co-created has a front and back, not a universal front, but a front door and a back door, and finally a portal that people started physically crawling through in the session. Was this portal into our out of the university, was it the exception to the rule of the future of the space? It certainly lends itself to a reading of utopian openness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There were also themes of resistance and conflict; someone added protesters on the roofs. How did they get up there? Jet packs? Well, many involved in the student movements know that discretion can allow paths to the sky! It was hard not to be impressed by the greenhouse, a found object, made out of rubbish left over from lunch, the plastic packaging of the water bottles, people brought in leaves and flowers and wanted it to be a student incubator. Emerging from the cardboard was a connection with nature and the world outside\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-7.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"470\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-7.jpeg?resize=625%2C470&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6839\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-7.jpeg?w=705&amp;ssl=1 705w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-7.jpeg?resize=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-7.jpeg?resize=624%2C469&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone made their part to start with, then moved around and began picking up something and changing it throughout both sessions, spaces changing from dystopian to utopian and vice versa. Was it dialogic or a snapshot? What were things about the unfolding that were interesting? One participant wanted to add academic precarity \u2013 but felt they were lacking creative ideas \u2013 then realised that already looks precarious, already expressed and possessed precarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New techniques such as ripping and decorating emerged, as well as collage, building and labelling. On the other hand, there was a palpable sense of play on day one from the zine makers who are already used to working in a space between academia and creativity. They jumped into the playful, destructive and reconstructive messiness, creating a shift from hesitation to creativity that was contagious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-17.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"380\" height=\"507\" data-id=\"6849\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-17.jpeg?resize=380%2C507&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6849\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-17.jpeg?w=380&amp;ssl=1 380w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-17.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 380px) 100vw, 380px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-21.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"532\" height=\"710\" data-id=\"6853\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-21.jpeg?resize=532%2C710&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-21.jpeg?w=532&amp;ssl=1 532w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-21.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 532px) 100vw, 532px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-16.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"468\" data-id=\"6848\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-16.jpeg?resize=625%2C468&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6848\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-16.jpeg?w=665&amp;ssl=1 665w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-16.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-16.jpeg?resize=624%2C467&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So where did we fail, what were the gaps, the things that lacked, that broke, that disengaged rather than engaged? Watching people engage, it is clear that some felt lost, ill at ease, unsure where to begin with such a task. Perhaps it felt more than just abnormal, but also uncomfortable and potentially pointless. Most felt it was still good that creative spaces were opened up in more traditionally academic events. Notably, people are perhaps less likely to be openly critical of this strange space. The conference itself was a supportive space, not one framed by competition and cruel undermining criticism (we have all seen these spaces), but one of collaboration and curiosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-19.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"470\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-19.jpeg?resize=625%2C470&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6851\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-19.jpeg?w=950&amp;ssl=1 950w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-19.jpeg?resize=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-19.jpeg?resize=768%2C578&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-19.jpeg?resize=624%2C470&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/alienalarms.bandcamp.com\/\">Alien Alarms<\/a> played in the background, covering topics of utopia and dystopia from ethereal to disturbing, there was little time to reflect on the interconnected multimodal inputs as people clamoured between coffee, networking and collage. The space to engage with this work and provide feedback on the audio landscape will come through the future virtual environment. Perhaps we were recreating the overstimulation of the current times. Even in the space of a conference or workshop, it is difficult to be fully present due to academic demands, even when away from the home office or campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some participants noted it was difficult switching between creativity and academic thinking. In a space where you are meant to pause, chat and break, it can be difficult to squeeze creativity in. It also raised the idea of space &#8211; should it be a different version, was it a statement we can\u2019t think what can be done? It is so disjointed? Do we need the space to mock and critique what is happening before we can imagine something else?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some felt it ironic that investing energy in a simulacrum of a university, there is little vision, and too much critique. Did this mimic how the real structures sucks up all our time and labour? Were we simply remaking a cut-up version rather than something completely new, and is this really what we want to be doing? Notably, the campus creation had philosophy and law and no other departments. We are perhaps not going for reality, and this does reflect the participants of the event\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"625\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rTeQVvAjk8o?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It is perhaps notable that with the exception of the portal and the flowers, it&#8217;s very much a vision of the university without the world outside \u2013 the campus as an island without any living space \u2013 students camping out in the lecture theatre. One participant commented on how it was \u201cmore real estate than people\u201d an (un)intentional spatiality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-7 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-15.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"471\" data-id=\"6847\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-15.jpeg?resize=625%2C471&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6847\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-15.jpeg?w=995&amp;ssl=1 995w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-15.jpeg?resize=300%2C226&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-15.jpeg?resize=768%2C579&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-15.jpeg?resize=624%2C470&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-20.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"688\" data-id=\"6852\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-20.jpeg?resize=625%2C688&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6852\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-20.jpeg?w=775&amp;ssl=1 775w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-20.jpeg?resize=273%2C300&amp;ssl=1 273w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-20.jpeg?resize=768%2C845&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-20.jpeg?resize=624%2C687&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-21.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"532\" height=\"710\" data-id=\"6853\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-21.jpeg?resize=532%2C710&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-21.jpeg?w=532&amp;ssl=1 532w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-21.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 532px) 100vw, 532px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps we haven\u2019t allowed time to think about the function and where the buildings sit in relation to each other, although there was a movement of the encampment from the edge to the centre, evolving Foucault&#8217;s changing heterotopias spaces where, inversely, spaces such as cemeteries denoting death moved from the centre to the edge of towns. Perhaps as we push such notions to the back of our minds, the political spaces of protests on campus are being brought to the centre, at the very point they face erasure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"625\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0odDVedTesY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, this was but an experiment, an opening up of space of play and possibility. An inevitably imperfect attempt to reach towards a different way of doing things and way of connecting with each other. It began with the intent of collective care and while it may not have been for everyone it has hopefully left some solidarity in despair as well as traces of laughter, and connections that reach towards new possibilities&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/metasteps.com\/viewer\/adc094ed-4b13-492d-a364-ace52b2642a3\">Make sure you check out the online space here! <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>With a huge thanks to Dr Ruth Houghton, Professor Mathias Thaler and Professor Davina Cooper for making this project possible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-8 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-14.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"469\" data-id=\"6846\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-14.jpeg?resize=625%2C469&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6846\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-14.jpeg?w=720&amp;ssl=1 720w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-14.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-14.jpeg?resize=624%2C468&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-12.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"625\" height=\"468\" data-id=\"6845\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-12.jpeg?resize=625%2C468&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6845\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-12.jpeg?w=725&amp;ssl=1 725w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-12.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-12.jpeg?resize=624%2C467&amp;ssl=1 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref1\" id=\"_edn1\">[i]<\/a> Davina Cooper, <em>Everyday Utopias: The Conceptual Life of Promising Spaces<\/em> (Duke University Press, 2013); John Wood, <em>Design for Micro-Utopias<\/em>, First (Routledge, 2016).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref2\" id=\"_edn2\">[ii]<\/a> Michel Foucault, \u2018Of Other Spaces: Utopias and Heterotopias, \u201cDes Espace Autres\u201d\u2019, <em>Architecture \/Mouvement\/ Continuit\u00e9 TA &#8211; Miskowiec, Jay<\/em> October 19 (1984).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/utopia-and-failure-the-metaverse-care-cafe-project\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"6828\">Bios<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/people-2\/kirsty-lumm\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1132\">Kirsty Lumm<\/a> is a professional expressive artist running expressive, trauma-informed art workshops. She is in her final year of training in Art Therapy at Goldsmiths. Founder of the Arts for Life community organisation, she supports vulnerable groups and explores socio-political issues and psychoanalytic approaches, working with refugees and young carers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/people-2\/heather-mcknight\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"872\">Dr Heather McKnight<\/a> is a utopian theorist, activist, and creative facilitator with a Law PhD from Sussex University. Her published work spans climate justice, unionism, education, and feminism. A founder of Magnetic Ideals Collective and co-director of LORE, she promotes legal literacy through creative, nature-based education, arts, advocacy, and research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sps.ed.ac.uk\/staff\/jimmy-turner\">Dr Jimmy Turner &#8211; Binks<\/a> Hub Research Fellow &#8211; Jimmy works with the Binks Hub team at the University of Edinburgh to develop participatory research using artistic and creative methods. An anthropologist and artist they have produced art for and curated many research exhibitions in Brazil and Scotland, including most recently at the Dovecot Studios and Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This project was funded by AHRC Networking Grant (2023-2026) Grant Ref: AH\/X009122\/1 https:\/\/doi.org\/10.13140\/RG.2.2.27578.56006 Created by Dr Heather McKnight, Kirsty Lumm and Dr Jimmy Turner Music by Alien Alarms The aim of the Fail Again, Fail Better? network was to re-evaluate the place of failure in utopia &#8211; by which we include both utopian fictional narratives, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6828","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P5Bqx4-1M8","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6828"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6932,"href":"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6828\/revisions\/6932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.magneticideals.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}