OPEN CALL: Ecologies, Big Feeling Machine

WORM invites you to join Ecologies: the Big Feeling Machine (BFM), a five session project by Christine Cornwell and Kain-Gil.

Let’s get underground and learn from the ways of the worms. Of mush, moist and decay.

In a playful but serious engagement with mutual care, Ecologies explores feeling as a practice. What happens when we slow down and pay attention to what is moving between us?

Across five sessions, participants will explore movement, sound, words, imagination, play and collective experiments. We use prompts to explore what is present in our bodyminds and different ways of responding to one another.

Think dance class, theatre workshop, improv session or playground.

It starts there and then things get a little strange.

The idea of the Big Feeling Machine is rooted in an ecological and intersubjective perspective. Our lives, our livelihoods, our experiences, the stories we tell about ourselves, our identities and our perspectives are tied to everything and everyone around us.

At the same time, within this web of relations, there are ideas present, such as individualism, that undercut those relations.

With the activation of the Big Feeling Machine, we return to those relationships. We welcome every feeling, idea or perception that enters the place and tease out the intensities present.

Together, we linger in the in between. Between thoughts and feelings, pressures, expression and meaning.

We meet in poësis and slow down against the fascist acceleration of our times.

The first stage of building the BFM consists of exploring the topology on which we will grow our ecology.

Think of a dance class, a theatre workshop, an improv session or a playground. We use prompt based explorations to explore different ways of responding to what is currently present in our bodyminds.

We might move, speak, write, listen, make sounds, imagine, improvise or simply stay with what is happening.

We pencil a world and explore how it feels to relate to one another within this dreamscape.

Each session lasts two hours and begins with a warm up. We then continue with an exploration, followed by a short reflection.

We meet for five sessions and ask participants to be present at all sessions as best as they can.

You do not need to be an artist, performer or experienced in any particular practice. You do not need to arrive with anything prepared.

Anyone of any age or background is welcome.

Curiosity is enough.

Before the sessions begin, we will have an open house at WORM.

Tuesday 13 October 2026 at 19:30
WORM, UBIK entrance

Come see us, drink a tea and find out more about the Big Feeling Machine.

The open house is free.

13 October
Open house, free entry

20 October
Session 1, ‘Toeing the water, mapping the zOne’

27 October
Session 2, ‘Toeing the water, mapping the zOne’

3 November
Session 3, ‘Toeing the water, mapping the zOne’

10 November
Session 4, ‘Toeing the water, mapping the zOne’

17 November
Session 5, ‘Potluck and reflection’

We start each session at 19:30 sharp. Doors open at 19:15.

WORM, UBIK entrance

WHO IS IT FOR?
Anyone, of any age or background.

The sessions are conducted in English. Questions in Dutch are welcome.

ACCESSIBILITY
The main entrance is inaccessible to wheelchair users. If you need an accessible entrance, please contact us so we can meet you at the accessible entrance.

If you have questions about accessibility or participation, please get in touch with us.

COSTS
The sessions are on a donation basis, including an option for “coin” or “time”.

Time is a single meeting to be arranged after the sessions are complete, to collaborate on a reflective zine together.

Your time is valuable and we value all contributions and offerings.

SIGN UP
Sign up via seedecologies@proton.me

Limited capacity.

Christine Cornwell is a facilitator and music-maker who loves to bring together different people and make noise, play, and create as collectively as possible. Working around and between sticky subjects like accessibility, inclusion, experimental music, gender, social engagement, and how to keep your spirit and soul alive when living as a BIPOC foreign woman is all part of the soup that is living and working in The Netherlands.

Diving into Ecologies began earlier this year, with a deep breath and open heart. Gotta believe that we can be well together.

Kain-Gil is a steward, poet, and musician. I play records as Muziek DJ and I sing and play keyboard as Dè Chnics. Recently I started rollerskating.

I’m also very much formed by my academic education. I like critical theory, especially in the de-colonial and trans psychoanalytical traditions.

I like theory, but my desire is to find a way to communicate and live the ideas in a way that is less academic and non-alienating.

The dream that is “Ecologies” has various origins. It sprung from discontent with art production under capitalism, Queer anti-imperialist psychoanalysis, but also my personal ways and troubles with trying to stay sane-enough in an utterly insane timeframe.