We are Dissent Campaigns & Games, and we create games about unusual themes. Many of our games centre around the campaigning sector and positive messages. Our work ranges from workshop games (simple exercises which help frame an idea or structures to roleplay campaigning messages) through to polished, boxed board games on a campaigning theme.

Games

Our most recent release is Library Labyrinth, a co-operative game featuring 60 inspirational women and a whole library of literary terrors. You can find out more at librarylabyrinth.com, or buy a copy in our shop. A proportion of profits from this game have gone to feminist campaigning organisations.

Our first game was Disarm the Base, in which peace protesters move around a board, finding and disarming warplanes while avoiding security guards. Creating it was a genuinely brilliant experience (which you can read more about at disarmthebase.com), with profits going to Campaign Against Arms Trade.

The ability to dissent, peacefully and respectfully, is a fundamental part of democracy. We think that games and campaigning fit together perfectly, because games are a way of challenging the norms and asking ourselves questions. Games can be part of our pathway to dissent by showing us how to speak out.

Workshops and other exercises

As well as some workshop exercises on the women of Library Labyrinth, we also have these different strands:

• Workshop exercises and games for anyone to print out and use
• Blog posts on the latest card or board game we are creating
• Information blog posts about specific political knowledge or campaigning tools

The workshop games and the information are completely free. If you use one of the workshop games or exercises, it would be lovely if you could let us know how it went. Please do drop us a line by email, or tag us on Twitter (we’re @DissentGames). Tell other people how much you enjoyed playing it and how it helped your workshop!

About our people

The person you’re most likely to speak to is Jessica Metheringham. Jess was previously responsible for political engagement for Quakers in Britain, and has also worked for the Electoral Commission, with local government and in the UK Parliament. Find her at Twitter or LinkedIn, or hire her to work on a game for your campaign.

Our biggest project, Library Labyrinth, was created by a whole team of brilliant women! Ella, Mill and Sam are all part of the core team, and you can find out more about them on the team section of the Library Labyrinth website.

The other half of the Disarm the Base team was Mark Bijak, who did all the illustrations and graphic design. He has many other exciting things at https://markbijak.com, or you could look for him on Instgram, LinkedIn, Dribble, Pinterest, Behance

Dissent Campaigns & Games Ltd is a non-for-profit organisation limited by guarantee. Jude Haigh and Oliver Robertson are on the steering group and are the legal directors registered at Companies House in the UK.