On Friday, March 28, the AHEAD project successfully launched its first prototype in Altamira.
Following our recent lab session on February 14, where we agreed to initiate the prototype by bringing together women from the community for a co-creative knowledge-sharing experience, the Altamira team, artist Majo G. Polanco, and the Deusto team collaborated closely to design this inaugural gathering of “Julianas.”
The Altamira museum staff and Majo G. Polanco led the prototype’s implementation, with the Deusto team providing behind-the-scenes support. We intentionally started with a small group to foster open dialogue and build trust. Seven new participants joined five community members familiar with the project from previous labs.
Guests arrived at 4:30 PM at the main building and were escorted to the 1924 House, the event venue. Majo welcomed them with a unique artistic performance, rolling out a carpet leading into the house where the meeting and snack would take place. Details of this performance will be shared in a dedicated post.
Inside, in an informal setting, Museum Director Pilar Fatas greeted everyone and initiated introductions using specially designed postcards created by Majo. Each card featured the silhouette of a woman—personifying the cave—and the phrase “Let’s be friends,” expressing the cave’s own desire for connection. The reverse side contained icebreaker questions to create a warm atmosphere. We’ll delve deeper into the creative process behind these images in an upcoming post.
After introductions, Antonio provided an overview of the AHEAD project and the prototype’s objectives. Asun emphasized the museum’s goal to establish a new kind of relationship with the community. This led to an open discussion and brainstorming session, culminating in the decision to meet again on Friday, May 30. We hope each “Juliana” will bring a friend to continue expanding our circle.
Before concluding, we conducted a brief evaluation. Participants answered three simple questions: What did you like? What would you not repeat? What do you suggest for the next meeting? They wrote their responses on cards and hung them on a rustic loom, symbolizing the future relationships the museum aims to weave with the local community.
Our next steps involve internal evaluation and preparing for the second prototype session on May 30. This initial gathering was a significant milestone, and we’re excited about the journey ahead.
