Playable City Tokyo 2018 Residency

A playful response to Tokyo's public spaces

Tokyo, a city where rich history and tradition mix and clash with new technologies to give birth to a unique cultural identity that fascinates the world. The Playable City Tokyo 2018 Residency invites two UK creatives to collaboratively research and develop ideas that respond to Tokyo's public spaces and start a new kind of city conversation through play.

Playable City Tokyo 2018 is organised by the British Council and JKD Collective Inc., produced by Watershed and supported by Rhizomatiks. It is a Tokyo Tokyo Festival Grant Program and is supported by Arts Council Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture.

3 people stood in a room having a conversation

Residency outcomes

Hilary O'Shaughnessy, Lead Producer for Playable City, reflects on the residency programme.

Back view of a child watching an adult jump along a hopscotch pattern drawn on the ground

Visit 2 Reflections: Sophie Sampson

Sophie Sampson reflects on the second visit to Tokyo.

Visit 2 Reflections: Tom Metcalfe

Tom Metcalfe reflects on the second visit to Tokyo.

Visit 1 Reflections: Sophie Sampson

Sophie Sampson visited Tokyo as part of the Playable City Tokyo Residency 2018. Here she reflects on the first visit to Tokyo, and how the social contexts of places affect our behaviours.

Visit 1 Reflections: Tom Metcalfe

Tom Metcalfe reflects on his eye-opening, inspiring and thought-provoking first visit to Tokyo.

Artist Profiles

Profiles of the two UK artists participating in the Playable City Tokyo 2018 Residency.

A foreign tourist and Japanese citizen having a conversation in the city

UK Artist Open Call

Two participating UK creative professionals were selected through an open call (this opportunity has now closed).