The Biennial Blog

A Biennial view of The Innovasion alternate reality game that left Liverpool residents questioning the control over their creativity…

The Innovasion took place on Saturday 9th October throughout the city of Liverpool. A collaboration between Liverpool Biennial and Hope Street Ltd, the alternate reality game led groups of gamers around 2010 exhibitions in order save the cities creativity from the clutches of an evil group art group named Creative Control.

The game was expertly run by renowned games masters Karsten Dombrowski and Larson Kasper and directed by Hilary Westlake, and featured superb theatrical performances from Hope Street apprentices posing as Creative Control agents and artists.

Games masters Larson and Karsten at work with Hope Street accomplices:

The game began online through Facebook, Twitter and blog campaigns representing the good guys (Wolf Crew, Stop Little Red Riding Hood) and Creative Control (the creativity pinching bad guys). Innovasion became ‘real’ on Saturday morning, where groups met at separate city locations and received clues to dig out information about Creative Control‘s mission rallies and group events.

A group start the game at the Biennial Visitor Centre after a receiving their opening phone call clue:

At 2.30pm the fictitious Creative Control agents drew a large crowd outside Lime Street Station to spread propaganda and sign up new artists:

By 3.30pm we had witnessed a game kidnapping on 106 Wood Street outside Raymond Pettibon’s Touched 2010 garage that had onlookers confused and rather worried (see video below). Innovasion made full use of Touched venues and aimed to interact players with art, fusing their clues to exhibitions and artworks. The game to a conclusion at an evening event at The Static Gallery on Roscoe Lane, where the tenacious Wolf Crew infiltrated Creative Control‘s video broadcast and transferred the creative power back to the people of Liverpool.

Many many individuals contributed to an exciting and unpredictable day. Massive thanks go to the players, who stuck with the game despite one or two teething problems in the afternoon. We’d also like to thank the talented Hope Street apprentices who pushed the game on throughout the day and provided high quality theatrical performances alongside theatrical director Hilary Westlake, who did a superb job.

Invaluable Hope Street helpers worked through the night to prepare for the game alongside games masters Karsten and Larson, who we thank for their outstanding work pre and during the game. We mean this in the best way possible, you are both mad geniuses.

For both ourselves and Hope Street, The Innovasion was a really interesting project to work on as it was our very first gaming event. Arts and gaming isn’t always thought of in the same bracket, but we were really pleased to see players visiting and interacting with new art at Touched 2010 venues.

You can view a video overview of The Innovasion below and read reviews of the game from players Mycroft Milverton and Matthew Taylor.

Until next time…