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 20^{th   –}

‘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 20^{th   –}

‘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 30^th  

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