Convergence ‘Sustainable Living’ Festival comes to Galway Friday 30th

 CONVERGENCE LOGO.001

Convergence the longest running Sustainable Living Festival in Ireland is coming to Galway this Friday October 30th. Recognising the need for an urgent and deep cultural shifts towards more equitable and sustainable ways of life. Across the country there is a growing interest in cooperative and social enterprise, renewable energy, co-housing, local food and the emerging collaborative economy. Join us for a day of inspiring stories, a participatory ideas workshop and a harvest dinner celebrating local food and culture. The days events welcome participation from everyone in Galway committed to creating a more sustainable future. We invite diverse perspectives and contributions from young people, students, grassroots  activists, environmentalists,  artists, cultural workers, SME’s, local institutions,  government and community groups.
Events take place at the Galway 2020 space in the Cornstore Middle Street
Everyone is welcome and admission is free of charge.

GalwayCoops

‘Emerging Futures’ – A Cultural Vision for Galway
From 11am to 5pm – Emerging Futures’ is a participatory ideas workshop facilitated by Kevin Flanagan, Martina Finn and Davie Philip, where members of the public are invited to join in dialogue asking the question – ‘How can a cooperative and participatory approach support the transition to a more equitable and sustainable way of  life?’.

In the morning guest speakers will share insights and inspiration from successful local community and cultural projects such as Galway City Community Network, Community Workers Coop, GCCN, An Meitheal Rothar, One World Centre, G126. After lunch there will be dialogue and debate using ‘World Cafe’ to explore what actions we as a community can take.

Schedule

11.00 – Introduction

11.20 – Check in –  Appreciating who is in the room and what they do.

11.40 – Stories from collaborative projects. What can we learn?

12.30 – Identifying common patterns and needs

13.00 – Lunch

14.00 – World Cafe Discussion

16.00 – Break

16.15 – Actions and Next steps

17.00 – Closing of Emerging Futures

17:30 – Music from Donal while we prepare for the Co-operative Salon

18:00 – 21:00 Co-operative Salon –  A Halloween Harvest Feast

“Co-operative Salon –  A Halloween Harvest Feast”

From 6pm – 9pm – The Halloween Harvest Feast is a convivial and family friendly gathering to celebrate Galway’s local food and culture, showcasing culinary produce from local farms and community gardens, cooked by some of Galway’s finest artisan establishments.

Also artist Seoidin O’Sullivan’s installation, ‘Seating System’ and Commons Library will be exhibited in the Galway 2020 space throughout the day. This is part of an ongoing participatory art project on the commons by Third Space. http://www.seoidinosullivan.com/#/lumen/

The events are part of the nationwide Cooperative Convergence 2015 organised by Cultivate, and co-hosted in partnership with Collaborative Ways Forward, Transition Galway, Third Space, Galway City Community Network, Galway 2020, Galway City Partnership, Sheridans Cheesemongers.

For information see –  https://collaborativewaysforward.com/
Email – collaborativewaysforward@gmail.com
http://www.cultivate.ie/convergence-2015/1253-convergence-2015

Cooperative Convergence (Galway) October 20th and 30th 2015


As part of the nationwide Cooperative Convergence 2015 organised by Cultivate, we are co-hosting events with Cultivate, Galway City Partnership, Galway City Community Network, Transition Galway, Galway 2020. Speakers are being finalised for the event but some speakers and groups are listed below.

Tuesday October 20th   –

‘Beyond Grants’ – Financing Social Enterprise and Co-operatives

Institute for Lifecourse and Society, NUI Galway – 10am to 1pm   

Galway City Partnership in association with Collaborative Ways and Galway Transition, are hosting this workshop to help local enterprise, co-operatives and communities consider more sustainable financing models and approaches to raise capital.  More details to be announced see http://gcp.ie/  or contact Margaret Leahy at margaret@gcp.ie for more information.

Tuesday October 20th   –

‘Transformative Power’ – Community Energy and Cooperative Successes

Galway – Venue: Kitchen Cafe in Galway City Museum – 7.30- 9.30pm

Empowering community conversations inspired by co-operative stories from Dara Molloy, of the Aran Islands Energy Co Operative, Eimhin David Callahan (Birr 2020 and founder of the Birr Community Growery), Eithne Verling, Director City Museum and Coordinator of Galway’s Cultural Strategy 2025, Prof Terrence McDonough, Galway City Community Network/ Founder of MA Advocacy and Activism, NUIG, Kevin Flanagan, CWF, Chair, Ann Lyons, CKI NUIG, and Mark Boyle, Founder An Teach Saor, amongst others.

Organised by Transition Galway,  Collaborative Ways and Third Space Galway  for more details contact collaborativewaysforward@gmail.com.

Friday October 30th  

‘Emerging Futures’ – A Cultural Vision for Galway

Galway 2020 Community Hub, Unit 15 The Cornstore, Middle Street, Galway – 11.00am- 5.00pm

Conversations, films, art, food and drinks with a focus on collaboration, culture and civil society networks. How can Galway embrace participatory co-operative politics and approaches in developing and supporting strategies going forward.  Throughout the day we aim to create a space from which to  explore the existing structures of participation and cooperation and actively produce new ones,  presenting artist Seoidin O’Sullivan’s Commons installation, ‘Seating System’ as a central public platform and interactive site from which to experience and explore, as part of an ongoing participatory art project by Third Space. http://www.seoidinosullivan.com/#/lumen/ Participants include Kevin Flanagan, Collaborative Ways and P2P, Bernadette Divilly, Dance Artist and Third Space member, Davie Philip, Cultivate and Co Housing advocate Eco Village Cloughjordan, Eithne Verling, CEO City Museum, Jamie Gorman, Community Workers Cooperative, Martina Finn, Third Space and others.

Friday October 30th  

A Co-operative Salon –  A community harvest dinner and social.

Galway 2020 Community Hub, Unit 15 The Cornstore, Middle Street, Galway –  6.00 – 9.00pm  

A harvest dinner showcasing Galway’s culinary produce from local farms and community gardens and cooked by some of Galway’s finest artisan establishments. This event will be a convivial opportunity to network and celebrate Galway’s local food, co-operative and community culture.

The purpose of this platform is to open a participatory space which allows us to share and discuss ideas and initiatives concerning the future of the Commons and the Cooperative Economy and we invite everybody to present their own work on reclaiming, protecting or creating the commons and cooperatives throughout the day long event.

For further information contact collaborativewaysforward@gmail.com