We are Commoners: Days of Commoning

Join us for a weekend of commoning through craft and nature, exploring ideas around community and co-operation.
There is a growing interest in social collaboration to get things done. Commoning activities build stronger connections between communities and places through shared ideas and activities. This weekend of events aims to dig a little deeper into the concepts presented in the ‘We are Commoners – Creative acts of Commoning’ exhibition, through a range of craft and nature-based activities, that help us to place a higher value on creative, gardening and conservation skills.

Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 June, 10.30am – 3.30pm at The Hub 
Free. (Some events require booking.)

Events at the Hub

Saturday 11th June

Exhibition Curator’s tour in the gallery, 11am-12pm
Find out more about the exhibition themes and the exhibitors’ inspirations and projects.

Sustainable Gardening at Eastgate Green, 11am-1pm
Join Sleaford Climate Action Network and Lincolnshire Organic Gardeners Organisation to make a paper plant pot, discover ways to encourage wildlife to your garden and find out about reducing carbon levels through gardening. Compost making demonstrations at 11:15 & 12.15.

Blue Fashion Commons in the gallery, 11am – 3pm
Activate the Blue Fashion Commons by bringing along blue items of clothing to exchange or repair with Sleaford Embroiderers. Experiment with folk motifs in chain stitch, with a chance to rethink how we value clothing by sharing the skills required to alter or adapt existing items.

Sunday 12th June

Open allotment at The Drove Allotments 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm
Emily & Bob are opening up their allotment for the day, to give an introduction to having an allotment, and provide an opportunity for visitors to join in some of their usual work; planting, watering, weeding – and a cup of tea! (Booking required.)

Adopt a Tree at Eastgate Green 11am-3.30pm
Collect your clay from the Hub and take a short walk around Eastgate Green and up the river path, to find a tree to ‘adopt’!

Fourthland: New film and performance followed by Q&A in the main gallery, 11.30am
Join Fourthland for a special immersive experience of, ‘The new land we seek the new land we dream.’ An invitation to join a poetic account of the origin of commoning, which accompanies their sculptural piece ´New Land´. (Bookable at doc-hub.eventbrite.com.)

Both days

Guided Walk to Nettles & Lollycocks nature reserves
Saturday 1-1.45pm, Sunday 10.30-11.15am and 12.30-1.15pm
Join the guided walk with Hill Holt Wood along the River Slea, looking at the work of volunteers in conservation and communally managed green spaces.

Mapping Local Commons in the ground floor workshop, 11am-3pmA communal activity to map the commons in our local area, exploring spaces and resources that anyone can use. We want to record the green spaces, footpaths, community gardens, playgrounds, community centres / hubs, foodbanks, libraries, repair cafes, places of sanctuary / worship as well as craft / heritage / nature / sport groups.

Panel discussion screened in the dance studio and available online, 1-2pm
Including exhibitors Fourthland, Lise Bjørne Linnert and Ali Alzein, Founder of Bees and Refugees.

Film screening in the dance studio and online, 10.30am-3.30pm
Films from We are Commoners exhibiting artists’ exploring community and / or collaborative acts of commoning.

 

Image: Still from ‘The new land we seek the new land we dream’ by Fourthland.