PlayLab Collective - The Art of Risk - A Space for Creative Risk-Taking and Collaboration- From Clay to Couture

The PlayLab Collective is a research-driven initiative exploring the role of play, creative risk-taking, and collaboration in artistic development. Emphasizing process over perfection, it creates a space where students and staff can experiment freely, embrace failure as part of growth, and build confidence through hands-on making. This presentation reflects on the development of the PlayLab Collective as both a research project and a working methodology. Through interactive workshops, Make—A— Thons, and collaborative challenges, participants engage in creative exploration that fosters resilience, adaptability, and innovation. The project highlights how stepping outside comfort zones — both individually and collectively — can lead to new ways of thinking and making. By encouraging an open, experimental approach to creativity, the PlayLab Collective offers a model for how art schools can nurture confidence, curiosity, and the ability to navigate uncertainty — essential qualities for artists, designers, and creative practitioners shaping the future.