From Chaos to Creativity – Young People Explore the Apocalypse on Stage

Young people often encounter frightening and polarized future visions, especially through social media, without the opportunity for critical reflection.

These apocalyptic narratives about climate crises, technological threats, and conspiracy theories can foster hopelessness.

From Chaos to Creativity – Young People Explore the Apocalypse on Stage is a collaboration between Lund University and Riksteatern, engaging young people aged 15-20 in understanding and reimagining these narratives through the capacity of performing arts to engage intellectually and emotionally.

Drawing from the research program At the End of the World, which examines apocalyptic ideas historically and culturally, the project equips young people with tools to critically engage with apocalyptic stories and strengthen their resilience.

Researchers and playwrights will develop three new plays, which will be made available to hundreds of youth theater groups across Sweden.

With Riksteatern´s network of 240 local and regional theater associations, the project reaches a broad audience across Sweden with the performace lecture An Evening with the Apocalypse, making the research accessible and fostering an inclusive dialogue about the challenges of the future.

An anthology of newly written plays and the podcast Voices of the Apocalypse will gather the young participants´ interpretations of apocalyptic themes and make them accessible to a wider audience, documenting and amplifying young people´s perspectives.