The country’s creatives are being asked to propose possible urban futures in Christchurch as part of the third Festival of Transitional Architecture (FESTA) in October this year.

The festival, which is held annually over Labour Weekend, celebrates and develops the city’s prolific and unique post-earthquake transitional culture. During FESTA creative projects, activities and new events bring life to the central city and experiment with new urban ideas.

Organisers are currently planning for FESTA 2014 and are seeking expressions of interest to participate in this year’s festival on the theme ‘The Future Will Be Live’.

Festival director Jessica Halliday says this is an opportunity for artists, designers, citizens, performers and entrepreneurs to implement their urban ideas, concerns, and solutions, not just talk or plan. “The power of Christchurch’s unique transitional urban movement is that it says we don’t need to wait for someone else to deliver our future for us, we can act to realise the future in our city now.”

“Proposals might imagine and present a future dominated by the careful use and imaginative reuse of resources and materials, it could be a future dictated by startling technological change or a future of alternative or revived forms of transportation. We are eager to discover what ideas people have for FESTA and the future.”

With this focus, FESTA will provoke questions and answers to how the transitional activity can and will help shape the future of Christchurch. “These are temporary events and projects express our fears and desires for the city and their effects are powerful, accessible, and immediate. The pressing question remains, how can today’s successful temporary project transition into a permanent presence in the city?”

Short proposals are due on 28 February and further details can be found on the FESTA website.