Children of Saturn

About the practice

"Children of Saturn" is an art-documentary project carried out as part of a residency at Working Stage - Centrum for Theatre Residency. It presents the theme of a mental health crisis in young people. Due to the pandemic, the idea has been adapted to an online space. It consists of two parts: a website in the form of hypertext and a radio play using the ASMR phenomenon. The hypertext contains recordings of young people who have experienced a mental health crisis. The ASMR radio play facilitates a state of relaxation.

About the institution

The SCENA ROBOCZA - Centrum for Theatre Residency in Poznań is a laboratory for artistic practice, the main aim of which is to create a regular stage for independent theatres and artists.

Context

The project started in March 2020, just before lockdown. The decision was therefore made to create an online version. Around the same time, there was a public debate about the dramatic situation of child psychiatry in Poland. The authors of "The Children of Saturn" therefore knew that the topic they were tackling required sensitivity and the selection of online tools that would allow it to resonate in the right way.

Location

Online, Polish speakers

Success factors

The project enjoyed critical acclaim and was awarded. It stands out for its attractive and engaging form compared to other Polish online cultural activities. The online tool was appropriately chosen to suit the topic.

Target audience

Mainly young people, also in a mental health crisis, and their relatives.

Sustainability

It is a social project, involving young people at risk of exclusion. It is low-budget, costing about PLN 25 000. It can be successfully replicated - its creation does not require much time (about 2.5 months), and it can be used to create a database or content archive. Some of the material collected can be used for subsequent documentary projects. It is also moderately sustainable - lack of funding makes it impossible to maintain the site and develop it further.

Digital tools

Hypertext was designed specifically for the project - it is a visually and audibly appealing database/website that 5 people, including a programmer and a graphic designer, worked on. It was a difficult and painstaking 2-month job. The Working Scene fully trusted the authors with the choice of an online tool. Participating in an event does not require special skills, but creating hypertext does - specialists are needed. If you want to create hypertext, it is worth bearing in mind that you need to provide funding for its maintenance.

Funding

Funded by the Working Stage/Theatre Residency Centre from municipal funds (Poznań) and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (MKiDN) as part of the 'Culture on the Web' program.