Held on August 15th-17th, 2025, at the waterfront campus of OCAD university in Toronto, this event signified a milestone in North American regional development as an important collaboration between the APF and OCADU. This page now serves as a remembrance of that event.
We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to OCAD University for generously providing the Waterfront Campus, as well as to Autodesk, The David Binet Design Leadership Fund, and Jackpine for sponsoring the event. Last but not least, we deeply appreciate all the participants who contributed additional funds, helping us move closer to future development and growth.
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Event Programmes
The futures of Creativity & Compassion
Eva Oloumi
Eva Oloumi will visually synthesize the closing discussions each day through live graphic recording, offering a creative lens on the insights and themes that emerge.
Eva Oloumi is the founder and practice lead of Paradeigma.
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INSTALLATIONs
WORKSHOPs
Vision Statement
To reimagine the role of creativity and compassion in shaping futures by fostering a participatory, inclusive, and embodied approach to knowledge-making—one that values emotional intelligence, collective care, and the power of imagination to navigate complexity and inspire transformation.
Mission Statement
The Futures of Creativity and Compassion conference is a gathering of foresight practitioners, designers, artists, and changemakers committed to doing things differently. Hosted by the Association of Professional Futurists in partnership with OCAD University, this event invites participants to explore alternative ways of knowing, sensing, and connecting through immersive, interactive, and emotionally resonant experiences.
We aim to:
Center participation over presentation
eschewing keynotes in favor of co-creation, dialogue, and open expression
Support local and sustainable practices
sourcing materials and suppliers with care and striving for zero waste
Foster embodied and multisensory learning
through installations, workshops, and practices that engage the whole self
Encourage interpersonal exploration & individual rumination
recognizing that futures thinking is both a shared and deeply personal journey
Create space for emotional processing and reflection
including initiatives like The Space for Grief and an open mic Speakers’ Corner
Inspire new paradigms of compassion and creativity
as essential tools for navigating disruption and building more just, inclusive, and desirable futures
Partnering Organizations
The Association of Professional Futurists is a global community of futurists, dedicated to promoting professional excellence and demonstrating the value of strategic foresight and Futures Studies for their clients and/ or employers. Founded in 2002, the APF now includes more than 500 members from 60 countries.
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The Super Ordinary Lab at OCAD University is dedicated to exploring and developing innovative approaches to creating positive change. It leads in foresight and futures methods and practices. As a founding partner, producer, and sponsor for The Futures of Creativity and Compassion conference, the Super Ordinary Lab will showcase its latest research and projects, highlighting the role of foresight in shaping a more compassionate and creative future.