Masterclass
Work creatively in the face of an uncertain future
Work creatively in the face of an uncertain future
How to strengthen your future agency by interpreting signals of change, and making uncertainty your most inspiring friend.
Aarhus, September 29Copenhagen, September 30
A practical masterclass
A practical masterclass on how to identify and shape positive, responsible futures: by combining activities, design theory, strategic theory, and psychology with reflection on your own subjective view of the future.
This session is facilitated byMathias Behn BjørnhofandJill Hawkins,two professionals who specialize in strategic foresight and futures-driven design. They come from very different backgrounds, but both believe in taking a proactive approach and building future agency through grounded, practical action.
Format: Full-day in-person (with an outdoor “safari” element).
By the end of the masterclass, you will
- Strengthen your ability to read signals without doomscrolling or spiraling, while remaining honest and constructive about challenges
- Understand how to interpret signals and patterns and turn them into ethical, positive opportunities for your work and projects
- Move from anxiety about the future to a sense of balanced control over the future through mindset adjustments and practical tools
- Learn why uncertainty plays out the way it does, how design and culture shape what feels normal and possible, and how to challenge those norms through critical thinking.
- Understand what shapes your “default future” perspective (i.e., your cultural stories, personal narratives, and professional norms)
- Leave with a simple, personalized “futures practice” consisting of habits and tools you can incorporate into your life and work.
Why this masterclass now?
Before we can work with trends, foresight, or strategy, we need to understand the subjective lens through which we view the world.
In a world that feels increasingly uncertain, many of us may find it difficult to face the future with a balanced perspective, perhaps feeling either that everything is beyond our control (or, conversely, with an excess of optimism!). However, we can cultivate our relationship with uncertainty and our approach to the futures we shape. Through simple shifts in attention, interpretation, language, and practice, the future becomes something we can face and shape with steadiness, creativity, and choice.
Program
Full-day (in-person) — featuring an in-person “Futures Safari”
A hands-on, interactive day designed to foster depth, reflection, conversation, growth, and creative practice.
1. Your personal view of the future
Where our imagined futures come from, and how they quietly influence our decisions and emotions.
2. The Psychology of the Unknown
A human perspective on uncertainty: threat, control, avoidance, and hope, plus what helps people remain open-minded and constructive.
3. Making the future feel real
How design language and cultural codes shape our perceptions of what is possible and legitimate, and how to examine them critically
4. From Anxiety to Agency
A practical shift: how to approach the future in ways that harness your creativity to foster stability and choice.
5. IRL Futures Safari (Outdoor Research)
We go outside to “read the world” together. You’ll learn to focus your attention on spotting signals, patterns, and shifting norms with an open mind, without falling into cynicism or hype. We’ll return with our observations, and we’ll help you make sense of them.
6. Turn signals into opportunities
Using the insights we gained from our safari, we’ll experiment with tools to expand our imagination and observation skills, and turn those insights into opportunities.
7. Your personal futures practice
A simple set of habits and prompts you can use in your daily life to foster a healthier relationship with whatever the future may hold.
Wrap-up
Shared reflections, key takeaways, and how to keep the practice alive in everyday work (and life).
Facilitators
Jill HawkinsTrends and Human Insight Researcher
Jill is a trends and human insight researcher and fashion psychologist who explores how fashion, lifestyle, and creativity shape well-being and identity. Drawing on her 20 years of experience and education in fashion, design, and psychology, she combines design thinking, trend analysis, foresight, and psychological insight to help teams understand cultural shifts and translate them into more responsible products, services, and narratives. She has worked with organizations including L’Oréal, Arla, Nike, and LEGO, and she researches, writes, teaches, and speaks internationally on cultural and design trends, the shifting zeitgeist, and the psychology of style, well-being, and creativity.
Mathias Behn BjørnhofFounder of ANTICIPATE
Mathias Behn Bjørnhof is the founder of ANTICIPATE, a Copenhagen-based strategic foresight consultancy that helps organizations become more future-ready through foresight, innovation, and facilitation. He has led more than 50 foresight projects across various sectors, working with corporations, public institutions, NGOs, and international organizations. His work focuses on making the future tangible and actionable—transforming signals, uncertainty, and complexity into a shared language, clearer choices, and practical next steps. Mathias is an accredited Professional Futurist and regularly teaches and gives guest lectures on foresight, sustainability, and futures literacy.
This masterclass is for you if:
- Work in the areas of strategy, innovation, leadership, design, communication, policy, or transformation
- Looking for a more constructive (and honest) way to deal with uncertainty and the future, both personally and professionally?
- No prior experience with futures is required—just an open mind and a sense of curiosity
Date
Aarhus, September 29, 2026
Aarhus Business Academy (The Gold Building)
Ringvej Syd 104
8260 Viby J
Copenhagen, September 30, 2026
Fyrskibet (XI)
Frederiksholms Kanal 25 A
1220 Copenhagen K
Format
Time:
9:00 AM–3:00 PM (Danish time)
Format:
Full-day in-person w
(including an outdoor “safari” component).
The masterclass will be conducted in English
Price
DKK 2,500 / EUR 335
Prices are shown in Danish kroner and do not include VAT.
The price is per participant.
