nikki hafter
artist & project producer
Free Play is an ongoing play initiative by Stonegrove Community Trust, led by Nikki Hafter from the first pilot in 2022 until 2024. In a ‘free play’ approach children freely directed their own play using loose parts and materials, proven to develop collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creative innovation and confidence. In this project, action research methodology was used to develop community-led and community-embedded play opportunities over 18 months. After launching weekly sessions designed for local 4-7 year olds, Nikki later developed intergenerational events for all ages to play together.
Nikki has been interested in play forms as creative practice since 2010, when her participatory artwork / boardgame ‘The Drawing Game’ was shortlisted for the Woolgather Art Prize. She has worked as a Real World Game Developer for HiddenCity since 2018, creating play experiences for all ages in London.