Playground #4 2025

Playground is the magazine that dares to explore, question, and re-envision the creative industries. Through thought-provoking essays, reports, and bold, honest conversations, it’s where curiosity meets play and inspiration. Packed full of smart insights and egoless advice, Playground is a must-read for those working in, or curious about, Europe’s vibrant creative and cultural sectors.

About Issue 4

Inside, you’ll find:

• An expanded State of the creative industries report, built on original data and insights
• Essays examining the creative exchange – from the value of home and paying it forward to pitches and money
• A deep dive into the world of notebooks, revealing how our tools shape the way we think, write, and make
• Conversations with creatives: DJ and producer Axel Boman on intuition and improvisation; Julie Joliat on turning stationery into self-expression; and architects and artists on play and experimentation
• Plus, more Play – a new community board, prompts, and “play breaks” that invite readers to think along the way

Across essays, data, and dialogue, Issue 4 reflects on the invisible economy that powers creativity, asking what it takes to keep it fair, connected, and alive, and how experimentation and play move things forward.