FOREST KEEP
2064. The height of the energy crisis. Seamless travel between the metaverse and real world is now possible.
Teenagers Amelia & Jason spend most of their time in the virtual forest at Rochester Castle. After a major power outage the pair become stuck in the forest, alongside its AI creatures who are evolving. To get out they must find a way to the castle keep. But what awaits them inside? And what kind of world are they returning to?
Forest Keep is a fictional digital story, currently being developed with young people in Medway. It is set in a future metaverse woodland at the public grounds of Rochester Castle, exploring the idea of ‘home’ amidst the climate crisis. The public will be drawn into an AR story trail via mobile, unravelling an interactive multipath plot leading to the Keep at Rochester Castle.
The story will be accessed by:
People will also be able to access the woodland at home and via VR in libraries. This is to leave their own messages of hope ‘etched’ into digital trees, creating a continually changing ‘live’ landscape.
Get Involved
We're inviting young people (aged 16-25) in Medway to help shape this project by contributing to:
Upcoming Workshops
Led by John Whall (creative lead) and Adam Glen (interactive story facilitator), our workshops offer a chance to collaborate, experiment, and bring ideas to life.
Online workshops, 6-8pm
• Friday 14th March
• Friday 21st March
• Friday 28th March
• Friday 4th April
• Friday 18th April
In-person workshop, 10am-4pm
• Friday 25th April - Guildhall Museum and Rochester Castle.
Sign Up
If you'd like to be part of the Forest Keep development team, sign up here to show your interest.
We're also keen to reach more young people, so if you know anyone who might be interested, feel free to share this opportunity with them!
Teenagers Amelia & Jason spend most of their time in the virtual forest at Rochester Castle. After a major power outage the pair become stuck in the forest, alongside its AI creatures who are evolving. To get out they must find a way to the castle keep. But what awaits them inside? And what kind of world are they returning to?
Forest Keep is a fictional digital story, currently being developed with young people in Medway. It is set in a future metaverse woodland at the public grounds of Rochester Castle, exploring the idea of ‘home’ amidst the climate crisis. The public will be drawn into an AR story trail via mobile, unravelling an interactive multipath plot leading to the Keep at Rochester Castle.
The story will be accessed by:
- Mobiles - in people’s own time
- Facilitated trails - we will provide devices and accompanying live performers
People will also be able to access the woodland at home and via VR in libraries. This is to leave their own messages of hope ‘etched’ into digital trees, creating a continually changing ‘live’ landscape.
Get Involved
We're inviting young people (aged 16-25) in Medway to help shape this project by contributing to:
- story development - writing parts of the interactive multi-path narrative
- 3D modelling - creating elements of the woodland environment
- Al character cesign - imagining and developing the evolving creatures of the metaverse forest.
Upcoming Workshops
Led by John Whall (creative lead) and Adam Glen (interactive story facilitator), our workshops offer a chance to collaborate, experiment, and bring ideas to life.
Online workshops, 6-8pm
• Friday 14th March
• Friday 21st March
• Friday 28th March
• Friday 4th April
• Friday 18th April
In-person workshop, 10am-4pm
• Friday 25th April - Guildhall Museum and Rochester Castle.
Sign Up
If you'd like to be part of the Forest Keep development team, sign up here to show your interest.
We're also keen to reach more young people, so if you know anyone who might be interested, feel free to share this opportunity with them!
Register your interest
Current workshops
Acknowledgements
Forest Keep.
2024-5 will see the R&D phase co-creating the story, characters and sets with young people and undertaking audience testing in the castle grounds. The full version will be developed by Electric Medway with a new commissioned soundtrack. By October 2025, during the Electric Medway Festival, we will launch Forest Keep to the public.
Acknowledgements: Forest Keep is part of our wider young people programme Young Hack. This is supported by UKSPF, Arts Council England, Medway Council, Heritage Fund, Henry Smith Charity and Colyer Ferguson Foundation with partner support from Rochester Castle.
2024-5 will see the R&D phase co-creating the story, characters and sets with young people and undertaking audience testing in the castle grounds. The full version will be developed by Electric Medway with a new commissioned soundtrack. By October 2025, during the Electric Medway Festival, we will launch Forest Keep to the public.
Acknowledgements: Forest Keep is part of our wider young people programme Young Hack. This is supported by UKSPF, Arts Council England, Medway Council, Heritage Fund, Henry Smith Charity and Colyer Ferguson Foundation with partner support from Rochester Castle.
