Writing Possible, Protopian Worlds: An NYC Futuring & Writing Workshop (in partnership with Girls Write Now)

Join us for an immersive evening of creativity and exploration! 🌌

In a world often consumed by discussions about the future, we invite you to actualize your imagination. This workshop is designed for curious minds eager to:

• Engage in individual world-building 🏗️
• Collaborate on collective futuring 🤝
• Discover innovative systems in governance, tech, and infrastructure that can help shape brilliant new futures. (They're more exciting than they sound, we promise!)

Bring your imagination and connect with technologists, futurists, writers, and fellow enthusiasts. By the end of the night, you’ll leave with your own narrative in hand—ready to keep or enter into The Protopian Prize, a fiction contest presented by Metagov and The Public AI Network. 📖✨

🚀 Workshop Facilitators:

• Val Elefante (she/they) - Independent technology researcher & writer, Protopian Prize Project Lead at Metagov.
• irawo ajasin (they/them) - Designer, technologist, educator, and research-based artist.
• Ashna Shah (she/her) - Media strategist, futurist, and mentor with Girls Write Now.

🏆 About The Protopian Prize:

The Protopian Prize is a short story fiction contest encouraging storytellers to envision liberatory futures filled with challenges and opportunities for real change. 🕊️ Submissions are open until July 31st and can range from 500–6,000 words. Winners will receive $5,000 and will be published in an anthology by MIT Press. Explore more at protopianprize.com.

Definition of “Protopian”: Coined by Kevin Kelly, protopian implies a pragmatic, optimistic outlook on the future, emphasizing gradual improvement rather than ideal or catastrophic visions. 🤔💭

🎉 Prize Categories for 2026:

1. Public AI Prize: Envisions AI systems built with public benefit at their core, exploring themes like ethical training and collective ownership.
2. Democratic Futures Prize: Imagines institutions and methods promoting public autonomy and community empowerment.

Our esteemed judges include prominent thinkers such as Gideon Lichfield, Kevin Kelly, and Ruthanna Emrys Gordon among others.

Sponsors Include: The Center for Cultural Innovation, Flower Hill Fund at the Boston Foundation, and more.

Should you have questions, feel free to reach out to Val at val@metagov.org. 🌈

Location: 247 W 37th St suite 1000

🎟️ Get your tickets here!