This is a real ‘web’, just like a spider’s – a place of connections – ideas – information – of dreams!
Our aim is to make it a Web of Hubs for alternative and free cultural spaces and people
The idea is to provide a loose-knit, non-hierarchical, web-based resource network for a wide range of what we are calling ‘Free Cultural Spaces’ (FCS). They wouldn’t necessarily use that term to describe themselves, but we need a simple, non-threatening term!
A fire festival in Switzerland. Small, vibrant and growing. Totally off grid. Nothing for sale. Bring what you need and to give away. Arts structures are built AND all burned at the end of the festival. Also features music, dance and all sorts of creativity. The title is a word game (apparently) meaning avanti, forwards towards the fire, and let's go...
Fusion Festival in Germany every year. Very much a 'different' kind of festival. Check it out!
One of the most esoteric thinkers of the twentieth century. His ideas and writings provided ‘mind food’ for many free cultural spaces and people. A complex legacy. Here are a couple of links that introduce us to elements of that legacy including the ‘Gurdjieff International Review’.
“Without struggle, no progress and no result.”
Their website states that: “The Gaia Foundation is passionate about regenerating cultural and biological diversity, and restoring a respectful relationship with the Earth. Together with long-term partners in Africa, South America, Asia and Europe, we work with local communities to secure land, seed, food and water sovereignty. By reviving indigenous knowledge and protecting sacred natural sites, local self-governance is strengthened.”
This is described on the site link as: “Through Gaia University, they are pioneering educational designs that allow learners to discover and demonstrate grounded solutions to complex ecological and social problems through the integration of ecosocial theory and hands-on practice.”
The founders are: Liora Adler and Andrew Langford, who have been deeply involved as leaders in ecovillage, permaculture, bioregional and consensus facilitation worknets for over thirty years.
A community on Staten Island, New York, USA.
They say: “The word "ganas" is a Spanish word meaning "motivation sufficient to act".
We chose it as a name for our community after watching the movie “Stand and Deliver”, about a teacher in LA who inspired his underachieving students to become motivated to work hard to surpass obstacles to their learning and growth.”
Links to their official site and an interesting article about the ‘free relationships’ and everyday life in their community. They welcome paying guests.
The Gängeviertel (English: Slums-quarter) consists of a few streets that remain of the old poor mans´ quarter in Hamburg, with smaller innercourt-streets called ´gänge´. What was vacant, was squatted in 2009 and the artisan collective thus prevented it from beeing torn down by an investor. Surprisingly, the Municipality bought the houses back from the investor and thus the squatters could continue to evolve the Gängeviertel further, as a legalized entity now. However, the urgent restoration of the buildings is still ground for discourse between local government and the circa 200 residents, since gentrification is on the lure and they want to keep control over the housingpolicy.
The website presents an overview of the public activities and what happens in which houses. It is only in the German language, but under the das Gängenviertel-section you can find some visual Impressionen on what is beeing done there. During the G20 in 2017, the Gängeviertel shows itself as a haven for protestors and a oasis of freedom in a militarized city.
The United Nations named the village a model of sustainable development. Gabriel Garcia Marquez has called founder Paolo Lugari the "inventor of the world." An example of the ‘Blue Economy’; self-sufficiency on a local scale.
Links to video films and descriptions of what goes on there.
UK Channel 4 TV documentary show featuring lots of literally, amazing spaces for living and working. Many of them low-impact, sustainable and DiY. From sensational sheds, fabulous floating homes, to eye-watering nomadic bus conversions. Lots of great ideas and some amazing builders too. Artistic and practical ingenuity in bucket-loads!
UK-based, George is an important commentator/writer on the edges of festival culture. His books on festivals, radical gardening and music are situated in the cracks and margins between social activism, popular culture and academic study. He describes himself as “a British academic with a longstanding research interest in alternative cultures and living practices, festivals and gardens, participatory arts and media, music, protest, peace, disability, and social movements.”