El Paraíso de la Deuda is both a workshop and a video game, which we will play collectively and interactively so that anyone, from the youngest to the “oldest” audience, can understand the complex terms used in economic jargon, such as ‘sovereign debt’, ‘bank lending’ and ‘labor reform’, among many others.

In order to do so, we will put ourselves in the shoes of a cat king who will have to watch over the happiness of his people by having to face the expenses involved, while trying to control the debt. If we do things right our dear subjects will be happy, but if we mess up the state coffers will be empty and there will be no other choice but to ask for help from some kindly banker. Then the debt will skyrocket and what will happen if we don’t control it? Unhappiness, a spiral of uncontrollable debt, the need to make civil servants redundant, privatisation of public services, cuts in workers’ rights… In short, a disaster. Are you up for the challenge?

In the second part of the workshop, we will organize a role-playing game where we will stage a social conflict and discuss the difficulties that will have to be dealt with in order to achieve the coveted transparency in public affairs that we will reveal to you in due course.

This project is co-financed by the European Union through the European project Citizens for Financial Justice. With the collaboration of Medialab Prado, the Complutense University of Madrid, the network of the Museo Situado (Museo Reina Sofía), Espacio Vecinal Arganzuela and the Teatro del Barrio. Coordinated by the Plataforma Auditoría Ciudadana de la Deuda, Grigri Projects and Massa Critica Napoli.