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  • our-cultural-commons
  1. Why creativity matters
  2. Our Cultural Commons

Our Cultural Commons

This is a weekly series of articles curated by Voluntary Arts and authored by cultural thinkers and doers. The series will be published between November 2017 and February 2018. It is being shaped in response to the emerging practice of cultural commoning and as a way of articulating ideas that have arisen in conversations about Our Cultural Commons over the past two years across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Our intention is that the series will help make visible the cultural commons in action and will encourage new approaches to sustaining creative cultural activity in local places. And we hope that the articles and the conversation they stimulate will contribute to the forming of ever more enabling cultural policy.

Northern Ireland is Making Cultural Plans

Northern Ireland is Making Cultural Plans

Across Northern Ireland from citizens through to local councils and Arts Council Northern Ireland we are engaged in developing a range of arts strategies and cultural policies. Get an overview of the cultural strategy landscape and some insights and provocations Read more

Published: 1st February, 2019

Updated: 4th February, 2019

Author: Kevin Murphy

Towards a better future for the arts in Northern Ireland

Towards a better future for the arts in Northern Ireland

At a time of strategy review and development, across Northern Ireland, we have the opportunity to stand back and ask the broader questions. Kevin Murphy, Chief Officer of Voluntary Arts Ireland explores ways to reimagine a better future for the arts. Read more

Published: 1st February, 2019

Updated: 4th February, 2019

Author: Kevin Murphy

CoisCéim BROADREACH selected for EXIT15 Commission

CoisCéim BROADREACH selected for EXIT15 Commission

In a rich collaboration with the Ballyogan community in Dun Laoghaire and Rathdown, CoisCéim BROADREACH will bring together the skills and experience of local people with those of professional dancers and creative artists to develop a bold, imaginative project that cross-pollinates art forms and media. Part of the Exit15 collaboration Read more

Published: 30th January, 2019

Updated: 11th April, 2019

Author: Kevin Murphy

What to Make of Culture in Our Times?

What to Make of Culture in Our Times?

A Civic Conversation Read more

Published: 19th November, 2018

Updated: 22nd November, 2018

Author: Mairead McCormack

Presentations: The Common Interchange of Ordinary Intelligence

Presentations: The Common Interchange of Ordinary Intelligence

Presentations from a series of conversational seminars exploring cultural participation, democracy and the economy through the lens of the commoning and cooperative movements Read more

Published: 5th April, 2018

Updated: 21st November, 2018

Author: Kevin Murphy

How Creative Citizens are Building Hope in Local Communities

How Creative Citizens are Building Hope in Local Communities

Robin Simpson, Chief Executive of Voluntary Arts, describes how in this changing world, that for many of us feels deeply unsettling, we may find ways of responding constructively in new approaches which draw on old traditions. Read more

Published: 28th March, 2018

Updated: 29th March, 2018

Author: Kevin Murphy

Comments: 1

A New Role for the Artist - A Manifesto

A New Role for the Artist - A Manifesto

John Fox MBE distills a lifetime of experience liberating art from 'the ghettos of theatres and galleries and restoring it to participating communities.' Read more

Published: 20th March, 2018

Updated: 21st March, 2018

Author: Kevin Murphy

Garvagh People's Forest - A Commoning Practice

Garvagh People's Forest - A Commoning Practice

"I was in the forest today and I came out taller than the trees" Karin Eyben tells a story of commoning in a local forest in Northern Ireland Read more

Published: 14th March, 2018

Updated: 20th March, 2018

Author: Kevin Murphy

Mindfulness and the Contemplative Commons

Mindfulness and the Contemplative Commons

Dr. Peter Doran asks questions about a neoliberal world seeking to enclose and marketise our attention Read more

Published: 7th March, 2018

Author: Kevin Murphy

Cultural Commons: Who pays and who benefits?

Cultural Commons: Who pays and who benefits?

Niamh Goggin of Small Change (NI) Ltd questions the systems of creation and distribution Read more

Published: 14th February, 2018

Updated: 7th March, 2018

Author: Damien McGlynn

An Instance of Cultural Commoning

An Instance of Cultural Commoning

Tom Jones, of No. 11 Arts in Birmingham, shares an example of cultural commons in practice Read more

Published: 7th February, 2018

Author: Damien McGlynn

The Common Interchange of Ordinary Intelligence

The Common Interchange of Ordinary Intelligence

The Common Interchange of Ordinary Intelligence Imagine Belfast Festival of Ideas and Politics, 12-18 March 2018 Read more

Published: 5th February, 2018

Updated: 5th April, 2018

Author: Mairead McCormack

Parks as Commons

Parks as Commons

Dr. Abigail Gilmore of the University of Manchester considers the function of parks as common spaces Read more

Published: 31st January, 2018

Author: Damien McGlynn

'CultureBanked®' - Our Digital Cultural Commons?

'CultureBanked®' - Our Digital Cultural Commons?

Liam Murphy shares his thoughts on digital commons and the CultureBanking approach to IP rights Read more

Published: 24th January, 2018

Author: Damien McGlynn

Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade: Our Big Day

Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade: Our Big Day

Andrew Kim, Artistic Director of Handmade Parade, writes about producing participatory cultural events in West Yorkshire Read more

Published: 17th January, 2018

Author: Damien McGlynn

Cultural Commoning and Civic Conversation

Cultural Commoning and Civic Conversation

Denis Stewart, Chair of Voluntary Arts Ireland shares some thoughts and reflections on cultural commoning Read more

Published: 10th January, 2018

Updated: 16th January, 2018

Author: Damien McGlynn

The People's Parish - Singing Our Own Song

The People's Parish - Singing Our Own Song

David Francis of TRACS describes how The People's Parish projects connects with local culture across Scotland Read more

Published: 13th December, 2017

Author: Damien McGlynn

Cardboardia: Forming New Communities

Cardboardia: Forming New Communities

Daria Stenina of Cardboardia explains the origins of the planet's most friendly and creative country Read more

Published: 6th December, 2017

Updated: 12th December, 2017

Author: Damien McGlynn

5Rights and the Power of Real-Life Gathering

5Rights and the Power of Real-Life Gathering

Beeban Kidron OBE discusses the unique power of convening in real life and her work in the digital world Read more

Published: 29th November, 2017

Updated: 4th December, 2017

Author: Damien McGlynn

What does cultural democracy mean?

What does cultural democracy mean?

Robert Livingstone questions how Scotland's cultural ecology operates Read more

Published: 22nd November, 2017

Updated: 23rd November, 2017

Author: Damien McGlynn

Comments: 1

HowlRound: A Case Story in Cultural Commoning

HowlRound: A Case Story in Cultural Commoning

Jamie Gahlon's case story of Boston-based knowledge commons by and for the theatre community Read more

Published: 15th November, 2017

Updated: 17th November, 2017

Author: Damien McGlynn

Cultural Commons and Social Wellbeing

Cultural Commons and Social Wellbeing

Nat O'Connor of Ulster University considers cultural commoning and its effects on our society Read more

Published: 8th November, 2017

Updated: 15th November, 2017

Author: Damien McGlynn

Why Cultural Commoning Matters

Why Cultural Commoning Matters

Kevin Murphy & Denis Stewart introduce our new series of articles on cultural commoning Read more

Published: 1st November, 2017

Updated: 14th November, 2017

Author: Damien McGlynn

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