Emergence is an evolving art, ceremonial and facilitation practice led by Fern Smith and Philip Ralph.
We consciously seek to embody the values we treasure in a hope that a more creative, caring and compassionate planet might be our next evolution, revolution, or re-evolution. We utilise and build on our many years of practice as performers and artists in order to make spaces for ourselves and others to come together, learn, evolve and transform.
Our goal is to empower and enable others to experiment, learn, fail, grow and ultimately emerge as ‘co-creators’ of the future.
Emergence is alchemy,
the secret to re-generation. The term comes from systems theory, but its modus operandi is more often deeply poetic, seemingly accidental, often involving synchronicity and mystery. The process of Emergence shows us that we live in a participatory universe. Something is moving through it and through all of us, and we can see and access it if we can step back, connect to one another and be open to possibility…
Emergence recognise that life processes are messy,
and cannot be understood by reductionist, mechanistic thinking or applying traditional problem-solving approaches. We need new methodologies, new ways of seeing, new processes that embrace a whole system, values-based approach. Emergence recognizes that the outcomes of our actions are unknown and there is no one grand solution or magic widget capable of fixing everything that is broken. Everything is interconnected.
Emergence draws inspiration from quantum physics, complexity science and systems theory,
and aims to bring systemic thinking and emergent practice to learning “the art of living within the ecological limits of a finite planet” (Tim Jackson). In the words of Margaret Wheatley, one of our teachers and inspirations behind the project, Emergence is both a ‘midwife’ to new ways of being, creating and doing, and a ‘hospice worker’ to an old paradigm that has put profit before the planet and people.
For ten years Emergence has created spaces for dialogue, inspiration and change within Wales.
We collaborated on many large and small projects – conferences, a summit, walks, a documentary series, performances, art commissions and consultation documents for the arts in Wales.
Emergence relaunches itself into a new decade with a clear trinity of offerings involving making art and guiding transformative processes with individuals and groups:
Space for Connection
RETREATS & Rites of Passage
Deep work for the inner realms of mind, soul, spirit, personal transformation and healing utilising nature-based ceremony and ritual.
Time for Change
Workshops & Facilitation
Deep awareness work for the outer realms, group and organisational change, conflict resolution and community-building utilising creative and cutting-edge group facilitation processes.
The Re-enchantment Project
Artwork & Events
Practising the Art of Living with pop-up, participatory projects with the guiding principle that ‘everyone is an artist’.