Dying in a Sci Fi Universe
Facilitated by Angharad Pitty and Dr Stacey Pitsillides
You think living in a science fiction universe is hard, try dying in one! If you aren't being re-stacked (consciousness put into storage) then you're being consumed (literally or metaphorically), replaced by an AI robot or trapped in a metaverse... Join us to explore how death and science fiction help us to think about what it means to be human and what the future holds for us.Newcastle City Library invites you to flex your creative writing skills in Dying in a Sci Fi Universe where we will create short stories together in collaboration with AI co-authors. To do this each author contributes a section of the story, using the surrealists exquisite corpse game, so you never know where the story will take you.
Age guidance for the workshop: All experience levels welcome but you will need to be over 13 to participate and require permission from a guardian if under 18. The model operates in English so you will need to be comfortable contributing in this language. The AI co-author uses a large-language model (LLM) to contribute story segments and although guidelines are in place to ensure the appropriateness of the responses, the probabilistic nature of LLMs means they can produce output that violates these guidelines. The team will be on hand to provide support should this happen, but we recommend you read through Gemini’s policy guidelines to ensure you are comfortable with this before taking part: https://gemini.google/policy-guidelines/
Soylent Green: Film screening and Panel at Tyneside Cinema
6pm – 9pm
After the workshop join us for a special free screening of the cult dystopian classic Soylent Green — a haunting vision of a world ravaged by overpopulation, environmental collapse, and the ruthless logic of profit.After the film, stay for a thought-provoking panel featuring experts in death and dying, science fiction, and cultural theory as they unpack the film’s chilling relevance for today. Together, we’ll explore how Soylent Green connects the dots between death, capitalism, and ecological destruction — and what it still has to teach us in the age of climate crisis.Because the future isn't fiction.Book your tickets at the Tyneside Cinema (15+)
