Digital Camp #1 marked the beginning of the 3Place journey. The workshop introduced participants to one another and to the three partner institutions, creating a shared understanding of the project’s goals, structure and ambitions over the three-year period.
Through icebreakers and group discussions, participants began forming a community across institutions and countries, setting the tone for ongoing exchange and collaboration.
3ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ involve: “If you think of a place where you like to hang out, what does it have? What makes it special?”
This was just one of the topics we talked about at our first Digital-Camp hosted by JES Stuttgart! For the first time, the young participants from Norway, the Czech Republic and Germany,met at an online workshop together with the partners. During the evening we talekd about what 3Place means to us, and doing different small activities to get to know each other.
What makes a place meaningful?
A central part of the workshop focused on participants’ own experiences of places where they like to spend time. In breakout sessions, they reflected on questions such as: What makes a place welcoming? What spaces are missing in your city?
These reflections helped identify key elements that contribute to a sense of belonging and engagement for young people — insights that are central to the idea of performing arts as a third place beyond home and school.
Imagining the “perfect third place”
Working together in the full group, participants visualised an ideal third place through a shared digital drawing. This collective exercise translated abstract ideas into concrete images and sparked conversations about accessibility, participation and atmosphere in theatre spaces.
Preparing for the first in-person Camp
The workshop also served a practical purpose: planning the first physical Camp at JES Theatre in Stuttgart. Participants discussed what they wanted to explore together, how they could work across cities, and what insights they hoped to gain about youth involvement in theatres in different contexts.
Digital Camp #1 thus established digital camps as a key tool for staying connected throughout the project — supporting continuity, reflection and shared ownership of the process.
A common starting point
By combining personal reflection, creative collaboration and concrete planning, Digital Camp #1 created a strong foundation for the 3Place project. It marked the beginning of a shared European learning space that continues to develop across both digital and physical formats.