Commons Summer School 2015

“What becomes possible when we harness our collective capacity in service of the commons?”

The Art of Commoning – Summer School August 25th – 27th 2015

Members of Third Space and Collaborative Ways Forward were invited to ‘The Art of Commoning’ Summer School, a shared inquiry for a 3-day gathering, hosted by P2P Foundation, Cultivate and The Art of Hosting in the Eco-Village Cloughjordan.

Many roads lead to the commons: the collaborative economy, open culture, technology and knowledge sharing, shared meaning-making, protecting biodiversity, seed saving, our natural resources, and more. The Summer School will be grounded in the actual practice of collaboration and finding synergies.

As “commoners” we practice engaging with others to create impact that lasts longer and is more sustainable than anything we can accomplish on our own. Together we maintain and govern the infrastructures that benefit the public as a whole and beyond.

The core of our inquiry centres on the following questions:

• What becomes possible when we harness our collective capacity in service of the commons?

• How can the commons, peer-to-peer and participatory approaches support the transition to a more sustainable way of life?

• Can we create livelihoods through co-operatives that enrich and sustain the commons?

• How can a commons-based collaborative economy strengthen the resilience of our communities?

Coming from AoH, we learn how to better design conversations that invite full participation and engagement.

The blending of people with different skills and backgrounds, from within the peer-to-peer, commons, arts and sustainability movements and the community of practitioners of the Art of Hosting offers unprecedented opportunities for learning and the emergence of novel synergies. wanting to develop collaborative and participatory practices to empower social change and steward resources. Sharing our practices, knowledge and experiences within the setting of the emerging ecosystem of innovation that is the Cloughjordan Ecovillage will offer many great benefits for individuals, communities and beyond.