April-September 2012

6 April-30 September 2012

Games People Play: Round 1

Games hold a mirror to civilisation; they build bonds, trust and strengthen social relationships.

For the Cultural Olympiad, CCANW explored – through a range of exhibitions and activities that were participatory and fun – what games can tell us about ‘human nature’; and how a deeper understanding of the advantages of cooperation can help us all to address the needs of the planet at this time.

Exhibition

The first part of the exhibition showed a selection of remarkable early board games – most of which could be played – which were intended as guides to moral improvement or general knowledge, war games devised by Guy Debord and H.G.Wells, and documentation of unusual local games, past and present.

Introductory panel by Northbank

As part of our Games People Play programme we also highlighted unusual heritage sports and games in the South West. Click here for a calendar of these games throughout the year.

See also:

• General views of Games People Play Round 1 exhibition. Photos Chris Lewis
• Panels used in the exhibition. Design by Northbank
• Poster advertising Topsham Fair 1844. Topsham Museum collection
• Viewing the display of local heritage games. Photo Chris Lewis

Articles

• Article in Western Daily News
• Article in Engage 29
• Article in Resurgence magazine (variation of above)
• Article in WEM magazine (variation of above)

Activities

An area of the gallery was reserved for visitors to try out wooden board games and to borrow outdoor games equipment.

Games area. Photo Chris Lewis

• 6 April: Launch talks
• 8 April: Summer Sundays Stage music
• 9 April: Game of the Forest workshop
• 15 April: Holi Spring Festival event. Photos courtesy of Johanna Korndorfer.

• 17 April: Games leaders recruitment
• 18 April: Twilight Teachers’ Workshop
• 7 May: Drawing Haldon’s Birds workshop with artist Mike Langman
• 6 June: Forestability Games
• 19-21 June: Home and the World summit. Dartington Hall

• 24 June: Forest Fluxolympiad with Tom Russotti. Photos Clive Adams.
• 30 June: Old Games from Ur and after talk with Irving Finkel
• 8/15 July: Wren Music on outdoor stage
• June/July: Moveable Feast Workshop Company worked with six villages to create their own unique village games which were previewed at Haldon. Photos courtesy Moveable Feast.
• August: Moveable Feast emporium at Haldon
• 18 August: Performance of Guy Debord’s Game of War with Class Wargames. Photo Izla Black
• 19 August: Performance of H.G.Wells Little Wars with Class Wargames
• 26 August: Forest Skittle Alley
• 12 September: Forum Game Over?
• 22/23 September: Performance Dancing Trails