Forbidden Playground

Inspired by the principles of play, a feminist perspective, and the everyday experience of parenting, public spaces will become part of the playground.

The project was initiated by artist Madina Joldybek (Kazakhstan) in collaboration with the artist duo Leap Then Look (UK), with the participation of other artists and researchers.

The festival program includes:

• interactive installations;

• activities for free play;

• workshops with artists Leap Then Look and Madina Joldybek;

• workshop by contemporary dance theatre, Jolda;

• a creative writing session for mothers with researcher Elmira Kakabayeva;

• collective textile weaving of the Motherhood Manifesto.

The programme also features a panel discussion titled Let Children Play with artists Leap Then Look, Madina Joldybek, social-emotional learning expert Kuralay Zharkymbayeva, architect Asel Yeszhanova, and curator Inga Lāce.

This festival is part of Madina Joldybek’s artistic research project, which explores caregiving and parenthood, play in public spaces, and resistance to the capitalist rhythms that shape childhood today.

In many schools and childcare facilities, play is increasingly becoming restricted and strictly structured: children are constantly being evaluated, and their free time is being replaced by screens. There is less and less room for spontaneous play: between adults’ 9-to-6 jobs, household, and family obligations, and children’s schoolwork and endless homework, a general sense of fatigue and exhaustion is becoming increasingly apparent.

Forbidden Playground restores boredom and free play to their vital role in fostering imagination, emotional development, and a healthy connection with one’s own body.

Alongside these urban interventions, Forbidden Playground aims to create a safe and non-judgmental space for mothers where they can share their experiences, be heard, and offer each other support. The project challenges their marginalisation: in urban settings, the presence of mothers with young children is still often perceived as “undesirable,” despite the importance of caregiving – work that is often invisible and underpaid, yet essential for sustaining life and the future of society.

By inviting mothers to join the conversation and creating an opportunity to slow down, Forbidden Playground encourages us to view childcare not as a private matter, but as a vital part of our infrastructure.

The festival is organised by the Almaty Museum of Arts with support from the British Council’s Connections Through Culture programme, and in collaboration with the Main Botanical Garden of Almaty.

Schedule

The festival takes place over three days at the Almaty Museum of Arts (ALMA) and the Main Botanical Garden, and is designed for both children and adults

All events are free with a valid admission ticket to the museum or the Main Botanical Garden. Additional registration is required to participate in the Blindfolded Clay art activity, the Body Labyrinth Workshop by Jolda and the Ma-Ma-Manifesto! 💅🏽💪🏽: Creative Writing Workshop with Elmira Kakabayeva.

May 29, Friday

100 Miles of String: Art Activity Presentation with Leap then Look
11:00, Main Botanical Garden

100 Miles of String: Open Hours
11:00-17:30,  Main Botanical Garden

Help create a large-scale installation by weaving colourful threads around columns, turning them into a giant web to play inside.

Looking Devices: Open Hours
11:00-18:00, Museum, Saryarka Hall

Explore the museum’s architecture and hidden details through lenses that will bathe the space in new colours and create unique visual effects.

Soft Sculptures: Art Activity Presentation with Leap then Look
17:00, Museum, Art Street

Soft Sculptures: Open Hours
17:00-19:30, Museum, Art Street

Immerse yourself in a world of soft, tactile shapes that you can hug, wear, and connect to create your own objects for exploration and play.

Panel Discussion: Let Children Play
18:30-20:00, Museum, Al-Farabi Hall + online, under this link

An art activity for guests’ children will be available.

Speakers: Madina Joldybek (interdisciplinary artist), Leap Then Look (Lucy Cran and Bill Leslie, British art duo), Inga Lāce (curator), Kuralay Zharkymbayeva (social innovator), Asel Yeszhanova (architect).

May 30, Saturday

100 Miles of String: Open Hours
11:00-17:30, Main Botanical Garden

Blindfolded Clay: Art Activity with Leap Then Look
12:00-12:30, 12:45-13:15, 13:30-14:00, 16:00-16:30, 16:45-17:15, 17:30-18:00
Museum, Şeberhana

Discover the magic of touch, where blindfolded clay modelling will help you tune out visual distractions and trust the sensations in your hands.

Participation is free with a museum ticket. Book a ticket for your preferred timeslot here.

Soft Sculptures: Open Hours
11:00-18:00, Museum, Art Street

Looking Devices: Open Hours
11:00-18:00, Museum, Saryarka Hall

Ma-Ma-Manifesto! 💅🏽💪🏽: Collective Weaving of the Motherhood Manifesto with Madina Joldybek
11:00-18:00, Museum, Art Street

Ma-Ma-Manifesto! 💅🏽💪🏽: Creative Writing Workshop with Elmira Kakabayeva
13:00-15:00, online

A creative writing workshop exploring motherhood and child care — for mothers, mothers-to-be, all those engaging with motherhood in their own way.

Registration is required to participate in the workshop. You can register here.

May 31, Sunday

Blindfolded Clay: Art Activity
12:00-12:30, 12:45-13:15, 13:30-14:00, 16:00-16:30, 16:45-17:15, 17:30-18:00
Museum, Şeberhana

Participation is free with a museum ticket. Book a ticket for your preferred timeslot here.

Looking Devices: Open Hours
11:00-18:00, Museum, Saryarka Hall

Soft Sculptures: Open Hours
11:00-18:00, Museum, Art Street

Mask-making Workshop with Madina Joldybek
11:00-12:00, 13:00-14:00, 15:00-16:00
Museum, Art Street

Express your inner world through imagery and transformation.

Embodied Labyrinth Workshop by Jolda (for children 7+ and adults)
12:00-13:00, 14:00-15:00, 16:00-17:00
Museum, Al-Farabi Hall

Embark on a performative journey where, through movement and masks inspired by Turkic myths, children and adults alike can explore the limits of their imagination.

Participation is free with a museum ticket. Book a ticket for your preferred timeslot here. We recommend coming to the workshop in comfortable clothes.

Partners

The festival is supported by the British Council, the Almaty Museum of Arts (ALMA), and the Main Botanical Garden of Almaty

Project Authors

Madina Joldybek is a multidisciplinary artist who explores themes of embodiment, motherhood, food politics, and care. In her practice, she employs various media, including textile, printmaking, installation, and participatory projects, creating spaces for dialogue and shared experiences.

The artist’s projects have been featured in exhibitions and public programs at Parasol Unit Foundation, the Lahore Biennale, the Biennale Matter of Art, the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile, Aspan Gallery, Kasteev Art Museum, documenta fifteen, and elsewhere. She is a recipient of the Prince Claus SEED Award and the inaugural B. Bubikanova Art Prize.

Leap Then Look, founded in 2018 by artists Lucy Cran and Bill Leslie, are known for their interactive and participatory practice. Their work combines sculpture, performance, film and photography, encouraging audiences to engage through play and experimentation. They have collaborated with leading institutions including Tate, the Royal Academy of Arts, the V&A, and Brighton Festival.