On the Front Lines

10:00 - 12:00

In the wake of the Covid pandemic, hear from organisations and individuals exploiting their civic role and responsibility and closely aligning themselves with an agenda motivated by the well being, education, social and cultural lives of their local constituents.

This conversation will also consider what can we learn from the successes and challenges of community organising - as a reactive, cross-sector and locally informed force, also asking how these networks can be better resourced, sustained and mapped regionally?

Chaired by Kerry Campbell, freelance curator and previous Artistic Director of Mansions of the Future.

Panellists:

Charlie Gregory - Curator, The White House Dagenham.

Ed Wallis - Director of Policy and Engagement at Locality.

Andre Reid - UK based designer and architect and founder of Kiondo.

Architectures of Change

14:15 - 15:45

Chaired by Amahra Spence Co-Founder and Creative Director of Birmingham based social justice organisation MAIA and YARD Art House, this discussion will consider the resourcing and reimagining of public space for public good and social need.

This panel will discuss the increasing privatisation of public space and share community organising and architectural perspectives on the challenges and possibilities of engaging a multiplicity of voices in both the ownership, design and build of reactive and multi-purpose community assets.

Glenn Jenkins - Founder of Exodus Collective and Marsh Farm Outreach.

Andre Anderson - Headmaster of Freedom & Balance.

Melissa Mean - Director, We Can Make, Knowle West Media Centre.

Young Ones

17:00 - 18:15

This ‘Fireside chat’ will foreground initiatives invested in the creativity, professional development and positive participation of young people in today’s society.

We’ll look at organisations offering transformational provision above and beyond public education and advocating for the value of young voices being involved with local and national decision making - listening to those who will ‘inherit the city’

Hosted by Freelance Producer Bhav Bhella.

Euella Jackson - Engagement Producer, Rising Arts Agency.

Stefan Livingston - Wellbeing Lead, Trybe House Theatre.

The Society of Explorers youth collective, Site Gallery.

Day 2

Friday 18th June 2021

Curating the Institution

10:00 - 11:30

What are the urgencies that drive the Baltic’s cultural offer? What are the possibilities for centring the local when working at an international scale and what are the challenges of this work? In this fireside chat you’ll hear from conference partner the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art - a landmark arts and cultural organisation located on the river Tyne in Gateshead.

Beyond its bricks, BALTIC connects and exchange with communities, individuals and groups exploring creativity, social connections and wider understanding of the world. The organisation’s Director Sarah Munro will be joined by Head of Learning & Civic Engagement Vicky Sturrs and the pair will discuss their work and social and cross-sector organisational ambitions.

Democratic by Design

13:30 - 15:00

What sustainable and alternative futures can we foster in the present by embracing new economic thought; and what can the sector learn from new ownership models, exchange economies and democratic governance?

This panel discussion will discuss how as a sector we can foster responsible civic institutions that operate for social good, community wealth, collective well-being and ecological sustainability and will be chaired by Josh Gabert-Doyan. Josh Gabert-Doyon is a writer, radio producer, and digital strategist with Common Wealth, a think tank that focuses on the politics of ownership.

Panellists:

Louis Koseda - Founder of Foodhall Project.

Bojana Janković - Artist, writer, researcher and Migrants in Culture.