The Camp will take place in the Pervasive Media Studio – a space to explore ideas around creative technology and access support in the development of early stage creative tech ideas. 

In response to the growing presence of AI within our lives, the Pervasive Media Studio has recently supported a number of projects such as How (not) to get hit by a self-driving car, Improvised Human Machine Conversations and More then AI Sandbox, that have explored AI and the concept of intelligence more broadly.

To expand on this work, our 2024 Camp theme is ‘Artificial Ineptitude’. Most AI tools have grown from a capitalist notion of productivity, designed to speed up workflows and efficiency, to produce increased outcomes and profits in shorter spaces of time. For this year’s Camp, we are asking participants to consider what is lost in this process and how we might create whimsical experiences that celebrate ineptitude and inefficiency.

Our Make Shift Camp offers a springboard to those who are at an early stage in their practice, by funding 5 days of space and time for thinking, making and connecting. Bringing together a cohort of people who make playful things with technology, the Camp will provide a platform to grow critical ideas, collaborate with peers, develop practical skills and make connections with the awesome community of practitioners who reside within the Pervasive Media Studio.

So, who are our Make Shift Campers?

Dhruv Chauhan

Dhruv (he/him) is a multi-modal maker of things, and especially loves working on weird projects that make people think - or smile. With a technical background, Dhruv has worked on a range of projects, including 'evolving musical instruments', supporting positive mental health in the workplace, and building tools for diagnosing neurological conditions. When he's not writing code, he's often playing music, or cooking something delicious.

Dhruv Chauhan says:

“I'm looking to participate in the Camp to broaden and deepen my creative practice, meet people exploring a similar journey, and mostly have fun whilst trying to build something unreasonably difficult!”

Eleanor Edwards

Eleanor (she/her) is a Computational Artist working as a Creative Technologist to support the development of her art practice. She works with a variety of different technical and artistic mediums, from augmented reality to Arduino, plotters to 3D printers, surface pattern to shaders. Eleanor’s work focuses on the concept of play, in response to the destructive, self-imposed pressures many artists experience in their pursuit of perfection. Eleanor believes that by embracing, or re-embracing, the power of play, we can free ourselves from the fear of failure.

Eleanor Edwards says:

"The format of the Make Shift Camp is what really drew me to the opportunity. I think the intensive week of collaboration - producing prototypes and mashing our ideas together - will be quite liberating."

Heidi Gautrey

Heidi (they/them) is an artist and performer whose practice is rooted in play and glitch. They are most interested in blurring boundaries and breaking down binaries (human/non-human, animal/machine, male/female), especially through methods of playful and theatrical human-computer interactions. Heidi brings skills in electronics and coding, and likes to combine hands-on interaction and digital interfaces. Their most recent work, 'This Is Not A Giraffe', was an interactive AI installation that asked audiences to construct giraffes out of play-doh to teach (or misteach) an AI what 'giraffeness' looks like.

Heidi Gautrey says:

"I'm an artist that is really interested in breaking, glitching and blending technology and performance to make weird and playful things. I'm participating in the Camp because I want to meet other creators interested in these themes, understand new perspectives and collaborate!"

Jake Kaliszewski

Jake (he/him) is an artist and engineer who seeks to find poetic relationships between human and non- human intelligences. He makes films and techno-objects to highlight the multiplicity of nature and the tenderness of time in its many ways of being understood.

Jake Kaliszewski says:

“I can’t wait to see what happens when you put a handful of artists and technologists in a room and ask them to make something critically absurd.”

Julia Ronneberger

Julia (she/her) is a freelance Creative Technologist and Unity Developer passionate about immersive and interactive experiences. She is skilled in blending technical expertise with artistic vision to bring innovative XR projects to life. From working on the award-winning VR experience "Goliath" to developing hand- tracking integrations at Ultraleap and exploring passive haptics in "Cognition," Julia uses technology to blur the lines between the physical and virtual, sparking wonder and joy in users.

Julia Ronneberger says:

"I am excited to join Make Shift Camp and collaborate with a bunch of amazing creatives. I can't wait to see what unproductive and inefficient wonders we will create together!" 

Max Male

Max (he/him) is an explorative Maker and Designer whose creative approach is driven by curiosity. Max enjoys experimenting with new processes, designing experiments to test ideas and collaborating with other humans. Max’s most recent creation can be seen at snapkit.co.uk: it's a small but powerful connector that helps you to create inventions with your waste materials. The intention of the work is to make creative play more fun, sustainable and accessible. Give it go!

Max Male says: 

“Make Shift Camp is really exciting for me because it will enable me to work with a diverse creative team in an experimental way to explore alternative responses to AI, a tech that is sweeping through the design industry and that I have a healthy degree of skepticism towards! (in its current commercial form)”

Robin Thorn

Robin Thorn (they/them), better known online as Thawney, is a nonbinary Musician, Programmer and Creator. Their projects often involve humans interacting with technology, particularly in the realms of music tech and, more recently, accessibility. One of Robin’s main goals is to make music technology more accessible. Robin is passionate about exploring new creative frontiers and loves collaborating on projects that push the boundaries of art and technology. 

Robin Thorn says:

"I'm excited to participate in the camp so that I can have an opportunity to share ideas and collaborate with others. I also find the theme incredibly exciting to explore."

Shivani Deshpande

Shivani (she/her) brings skills in electronic engineering and immersive technologies, and a passion for pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Her journey began with a love for creating playful experiments with Arduino and sensors, which fuelled an exploration into practical and innovative uses of technology. She has since created AR experiences for brands like Herbalife Nutrition and Meta, made educational VR games and a VR app that used AI, sound and haptic feedback to promote and aid mental wellness. Shivani’s work now centres on the creation of accessible, transformative immersive experiences.

Shivani Deshpande says:

"I want to participate in the camp to delve into the unconventional theme of 'Artificial Ineptitude' and collaborate with other creative minds to craft playful, immersive experiences together."

Make Shift Camp will take place over five days from 5-9 August 2024. The campers who participate will each receive financial, technical and production support from Watershed.

Make Shift is made possible with support from Arts Council England and The Nisbet Trust. Our Make Shift Camp is additionally supported by MyWorld and our partners in Pervasive Media Studio, UWE Bristol and University of Bristol.

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