Recent progress in the chemical construction of micro-compartmentalized semipermeable colloidal objects comprising integrated biomimetic functions is paving the way towards rudimentary forms of artificial cell-like entities (protocells) for modelling complex biological systems, exploring the origin of life, and advancing future proto-living technologies. Although several new types of protocells are currently available, the design of synthetic protocell communities and investigation of their collective properties has received little attention. In this talk, I review some recent experiments undertaken in my laboratory that demonstrate simple forms of higher-order dynamic behaviour in synthetic protocells. I will discuss four new areas of investigation: (i) enzyme-powered motility and collective migration in buoyant organoclay/DNA protocells,1 (ii) artificial predatory, phagocytosis and endosymbiosis behaviour in mixed populations of synthetic protocells,2,3,4 (iii) chemical communication and DNA computing in ordered protocell communities,5 and (iv) the chemical construction of beating prototissues.6 I will use these new model systems to discuss pathways towards chemical cognition, modulated reactivity, basic signalling pathways and non-equilibrium activation in compartmentalized artificial micro-ensembles.