Alex Newson is a UX designer from the UK. He gained a BSc in Multimedia Technology and Design with a Year in Industry. Throughout his time in academia and the industry, Alex has always been interested in using technologies from cardboard prototypes to virtual reality to make playful but meaningful designs. Through his hobby of improv, he has nurtured his collaborative mindset and fascination with human behaviour. His main interests lie in co-designing ethical tools that people can use to empower themselves and their community, allowing them to critically engage with the increasingly fragmented system we all participate in.
Performative Journeys: co-creating grassroots live music experiences
'Performative Journeys' is a collaborative project with Sebastian Ervi that aims to ensure the relevance of grassroots live music experiences by facilitating deeper social cohesion between unestablished music artists and local audiences in London, UK.
Grassroots music venues are struggling in the UK, in contrast to the festivalisation,corporatisation and globalisation of live music. These venues are essential to the music
ecosystem and contribute largely to local economies. Ensuring a future relevance of grassroots venue experiences is therefore essential.
While social cohesion plays an integral role in the concert experience, new audiences struggle to connect with unestablished artists due to a lack of prior emotional connection and knowledge of the performed music.
This workshop allows to co-design unique concert experiences with these artists through the collective exploration of participatory warm-ups, space dynamics and storytelling practices. By emphasising on the unique sense of intimacy of small venue experiences, we aim to facilitate social cohesion between artists and audiences, and sustain grassroots live music experiences in the music ecosystem.
'Performative Journeys' is a collaborative project with Sebastian Ervi that aims to ensure the relevance of grassroots live music experiences by facilitating deeper social cohesion between unestablished music artists and local audiences in London, UK.
Grassroots music venues are struggling in the UK, in contrast to the festivalisation,corporatisation and globalisation of live music. These venues are essential to the music
ecosystem and contribute largely to local economies. Ensuring a future relevance of grassroots venue experiences is therefore essential.
While social cohesion plays an integral role in the concert experience, new audiences struggle to connect with unestablished artists due to a lack of prior emotional connection and knowledge of the performed music.
This workshop allows to co-design unique concert experiences with these artists through the collective exploration of participatory warm-ups, space dynamics and storytelling practices. By emphasising on the unique sense of intimacy of small venue experiences, we aim to facilitate social cohesion between artists and audiences, and sustain grassroots live music experiences in the music ecosystem.