CASTRO presents What else, what else belongs in the joyous city? A workshop of imaginative practices for a society beyond punishment curated by Cristina Lavosi.

The workshop grows out of the research conducted by the artist during her stay in Rome as part of the Studio Program promoted by CASTRO, an experimental education program that offers artists and researchers activities specifically designed to support and develop their work.

“As adrienne maree brown and Walidah Imarisha have observed – and as their anthology Octavia’s Brooddemonstrates – imagining a more just world, free from war, capitalism, prisons, and policing, is an act of speculative fiction. Every form of organizing and activism, Imarisha writes, is ultimately science fiction: social justice and speculative fiction are deeply intertwined imaginative acts, and engaging in the creative work of imagination is essential to resist the dangers of living in a world imagined by others. This participatory event offers a space to re-imagine a society beyond the police, punishment, and carceral logic through artistic practice, tracing connections between radical visionary narratives and movements for social change. Together we will test the potential of collective speculation to propose alternative social structures.” (Cristina Lavosi)

Program 
The workshop proposes an intensive path to explore abolitionism and transformative justice through the lens of speculative fiction and collective visual imagination. Through creative writing practices and exercises inspired by radical pedagogy, the workshop includes: sharing and discussing visionary texts and stories connected to the proposed themes; experimenting with writing exercises based on prompts of varying duration; and the use of images and embodied practices to visualize ideas and narratives.

The lunch break will be free and at the discretion of participants, who may bring their own food or go to nearby venues. 

Who it is for 
The workshop is open to anyone interested in questioning the penal system and imagining alternative approaches to social conflict. It may be of particular interest to activists, organizers, researchers, artists, and writers who wish to explore the potential of collective speculation as a political and imaginative practice.

No prior experience in writing, visual arts, or legal studies is required; however, participants will be asked to read a few short speculative fiction texts in advance, in order to facilitate discussion and stimulate writing. The texts will be sent via email to participants about one week before the workshop.

How to participate
The workshop is open to all interested participants, up to a maximum of 12 people. 
Advance registration is required by filling out the form by March 5, 2026. 
For information: cristinalavosi@gmail.com

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CRISTINA LAVOSI (1993, Italy) is a video artist living and working in The Hague, the Netherlands. Her artistic research critically examines Western political systems, addressing how cultural and political institutions shape dominant narratives, impose norms of life, and legitimize structures of power and violence. Her work has been shown internationally at venues and events such as The British School at Rome, Filmhuis Den Haag (Netherlands), Fabbrica del Vapore (Italy), Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen (Germany), Kinemastik (Malta), and Jatiwangi Art Factory (Indonesia). Her artistic practice has received awards and grants from Italian and Dutch institutions including SIAE, Mondriaan Fund, and Stroom Den Haag. She is also the co-founder of First Cut, a platform for video art programming, and a member of Filmwerkplaats in Rotterdam, a laboratory dedicated to analog 16mm film practices.

CASTRO is an experimental education project founded in Rome in 2018 by artist Gaia Di Lorenzo. The project is structured around three main programs: the Studio Program, the Public Program, and the Academia Program. Through the Studio Program, CASTRO hosts each year a group of artists and researchers, offering them studio space and a series of tailor-made educational activities. The Public Program consists of a series of free, public events such as CRIT, conferences, and artist talks. Since 2023, CASTRO has also inaugurated a library dedicated to alternative education and radical pedagogy, collectively built through the regular contributions of artists, researchers, and educators, both Italian and international. Finally, the Academia Program offers a series of activities that enable the creation of individual learning paths through portfolio reviews, workshops, mentoring courses, and tutoring.