Hi Bricos!
Just chipping in to say what a great idea it is to share what we're all
up to now.
I sense that the political landscape in many areas is now genuinely
challenging. All sorts of plans that we'd hoped to realise haven't
happened. But other things have.
Bricolabs emerged from a ferment of ideas around technology, individual
and community empowerment, do-it-yourself, sustainability and
resilience, and those ideas are needed now, more than ever. If we are to
effect progressive change, we cannot look to larger social structures
for support - we must take action at the local level.
I guess I'd better update you:
I left Access Space in late 2014, and took the ideas from my research
into digital manufacture with me. Access Space has continued, but the
funding environment is truly difficult, and it's less able to provide
the continuous open access that it once did. The project now provides
one or two days of open participation per week, and there are more
structured workshops and arts activities.
I and my wife Lisa wanted to take the ideas we'd identified around
making and set up independently, so we bought a very run-down, empty
shop, and we spent nearly a year rebuilding it. She then gave up her
job, and we opened it in 2015. We aim to explore the idea that new
technologies and creative practices can bring sustainable
micro-manufacture into neighbourhoods. We have a workshop and a laser
cutter (as well as tools, workbenches, sewing machines, and numerous
other making tools) and we make things to order, remake, transform and
repair things. We run occasional workshops, and have been participating
in EU funded research into making for early years kids.
Initially we rented out the flat above the shop. Then we tried AirBNB -
which ended up being a lot of work, and gets you very little more money
than just renting to a single tenant. Now we've removed the flat, and
opened up the upstairs as retail units to rent and a gallery. We don't
expect to make any more money than we did from the flat or AirBNB, but
we think that there are more synergies with local retail people who are
dealing with antiques, curiosities, art and decor.
Crucial to this work has been the idea that the activity is completely
self-funding. Almost all our income comes from selling objects that we
make or remake, and selling design and making services.
In an effort to improve business, we have become involved in the whole
question of local regeneration. The area that the shop is in was very
run-down. The shop itself was empty, and boarded up for 20 years before
we bought it. So it was cheap, and there is no business property tax to
pay! As well as improving our own shop, we've looked at the street
environment, encouraged our neighbours to improve their shops, and been
involved in continuous activity to remove litter, get building waste and
other debris removed, suppress tagging, and encourage street art. We
have to make the whole area feel safe, welcoming and creative, so that
people feel happy to walk around it.
I now run "Abbeydale Retail Community" - a small network of locally
owned businesses. It's been very interesting to meet and interact with
other local shopkeepers and business owners. The shop is a universal
feature of all urban locations, that is easy to take for granted, but
it's not at all obvious how they work. I've encountered a huge range of
capabilities in the people who run local shops, from highly focussed,
knowledgable and motivated people, to people who have ended up running a
shop by accident. Some people have invested hundreds of thousands, and
are having to plan, build and innovate to make the business work, while
other people just inherited the shop from a relative, and don't have
anything else to do! These people are often less motivated, and have
very few resources.
Retail businesses are interesting, because (unless they sell beer or
cigarettes) they never have a known, established customer base. Small
shopkeepers have to build their own demand, which they can only do after
their shop has opened. So the only way to do accurate market research
is... to open! This resonates very much with the experience of
makerspaces, media labs, and other such public-facing community projects
- you cannot prove that the thing you're proposing is necessary or even
wanted - all you can do is get started, and be responsive to how it
goes. We have now been open for nearly four years, which makes us more
successful (or stupider) than 95% of retail, which, nowadays, closes
within the first 2 years!
Traditional, "standard" retail is now being eaten by the internet - so
one of Lisa and my first principals was that we would not trade online -
the shop has to be an experience to come into, like a tiny theatre, and
the things that we sell you can't buy online - they're unique items,
quirky, creative and unusual, or commissioned individually by our
customers. Shops like mini-markets, and shops selling generic products
are closing all the time - only services and experiences are making
headway. We're seeing cafes, bars and specialist shops starting to do
well, or at least to resist the tide of closures. It will be interesting
to see how this develops.
Thinking about "interesting", you will, no doubt, be aware of the
governmental chaos in the UK. The issue of leaving, or not leaving the
European Union has absorbed all governmental capacity for the last three
years, and I have become involved in activism, calling for a referendum
on the reality of leaving, not the fantastical version put forward in
the 2016 vote.
In practical terms, what Brexit means is:
* Continuing neoliberal austerity.
* 1/7th of the size of development grants to underdeveloped cities and
regions. (The regions, ironically, that voted to leave!)
* Massive economic uncertainty, investment on hold.
* Paralysed government.
* EU grants may now be inaccessible.
* Fascists emboldened.
Over the longer term, should Brexit go ahead, it is my view that it may
well lead to the fragmentation of the UK into separate nation-states.
Interesting times!
Hey, you want to see some pictures? Of course you do! Try
instagram.com/makers555
All the best,
James
=====
On 09/05/2019 10:28, natacha wrote:
>
> Hey Carsten,
>
>
> I add more details about NGI 0 funding in pm not to spam the list
> that the NGI0 funding needs to be taken by a european (individual or
> group) we cannot do it because it would be a conflict of interest + we
> do have the skills, maybe you can do it and delegate someone in Brazil
> for the work?
>
> heart
>
> n.
>
> On 5/9/19 10:57 AM, natacha wrote:
>>
>> Het Carsten,
>>
>>
>> Thanks much for answering, indeed I understand super well that things
>> are complex, and time is scarce, and I (nor does hk) do not take
>> anything personally.
>>
>> Its only a bit sad, because we see there are possibility to do stuff,
>> and we cannot do it ourselves (baobaxia in not the only project that
>> could be supported) so ... what to do, is there anyone around you who
>> could take this over?
>>
>> do not hesitate to reach back to us any moment when you have
>> availabilities, any of you involved.
>>
>> natacha
>>
>> On 5/9/19 10:41 AM, Carsten Agger wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi Natacha
>>>
>>> I'd like to say that I'm sorry that I haven't been able to react to
>>> your work, I've been really busy here in Denmark with various things
>>> that have demanded and still demand all my attention.
>>>
>>> I think getting funding for the continued work with Baobáxia would
>>> be really important, what exists now is a working system in dire
>>> need of being upgraded, and it needs professional care on a scale
>>> that is difficult to achieve without funding - at least for a sprint
>>> or so. So my own silence should definitely not be interpreted as
>>> unwelcoming, I've just been having to focus on some other things,
>>> unfortunately.
>>>
>>> I'm afraid this is true of many of us, Vince included.
>>>
>>> Best
>>> Carsten
>>>
>>> On 5/9/19 8:54 AM, natacha wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Ok,
>>>>
>>>> Yes I think of answering this also because of too much silence
>>>> lately, as some of you might have realized, hellekin and I have
>>>> organised a new research structure not for profit, petites
>>>> singularités based in Brussels.
>>>>
>>>> Since the beginning of this project, our intention has been (and
>>>> still is) to connect our friends in Brazilian networks with an
>>>> access we want to build towards eu funding grants. I think our
>>>> first move was to go meet felipe in Germany to do a video
>>>> interview, second was to spend a week in Italy at Vicenzo's to
>>>> discuss baobaxia, and third to write an article in Catalyst Journal
>>>> for feminist studies about the very unique methodologies of
>>>> Brazilian independent networks.
>>>>
>>>> We had the feeling those tentative were not welcome, no feedback
>>>> from any of you when we insisted several times that baobaxia should
>>>> apply to NGI0 funding (where we are mentors), no answer when we
>>>> asked about feedback on the article when it was being written, no
>>>> response either; a one liner response to a proposition to come to
>>>> tropixel and do something together among other things using the
>>>> incommon project (that has financing).
>>>>
>>>> In those conditions, we decided not to make the trip to Brazil this
>>>> June, because we felt that without prior organisation, spending
>>>> some weeks in Brazil would not be of any use, and we are very sad
>>>> about it, because we love you very much and not only we are aware
>>>> of the difficult situ demandation you are all going through, but
>>>> moreover we really appreciate your unique work and research in Brazil.
>>>>
>>>> So please lets chat a bit more to bring our forces together there
>>>> are possibilities we can use, please do not give up.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Heart
>>>>
>>>> Natacha
>>>>
>>>> Natacha
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 5/8/19 11:54 PM, fabi borges wrote:
>>>>> I'm going to get into this.
>>>>>
>>>>> My current situation is to be in São Paulo, with no grant for
>>>>> post-phd, no work, no money,
>>>>> with the head full of delusional projects: organizing a
>>>>> crowndfunding campaign to construct two health posts for the
>>>>> indigenous Pataxó with the technoshamanism network, and trying to
>>>>> create a third world singular space/art. Wanting to take the
>>>>> actual president away, but emerged in the social forces that are
>>>>> contained and frightened at the moment, with the exception of the
>>>>> indigenous who are doing an incredible effort of resistance.
>>>>> Living in a collective house, doing organic gardening and swimming
>>>>> in the university swimming pool.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'll find a way to go to Tropixel.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Em qua, 8 de mai de 2019 às 17:25, Jean-Noël Montagné
>>>>> <jnm@??? <mailto:jnm@autistici.org>> escreveu:
>>>>>
>>>>> Salut à toutes et tous,
>>>>>
>>>>> a word on my actual works:
>>>>>
>>>>> less artworks, more political activities, more local
>>>>> activities, I will
>>>>> never travel again with plane, for political=ecological
>>>>> reasons ( since
>>>>> 2015, my last trip to Indonesia for Transformaking ( hello
>>>>> Venzha and
>>>>> Argha !)]
>>>>>
>>>>> --------
>>>>>
>>>>> still maintaining the Nicelab.eu hackerspace in Nice, very few
>>>>> people in
>>>>> it, and our community is shorter and shorter. People are not
>>>>> available
>>>>> anymore for bricolage ( may be because of average 2H30 on social
>>>>> networks per day in France/ 5 hours per day on Internet...)
>>>>>
>>>>> I try to orient the Nicelab topics on the subject of
>>>>> resilience ( food,
>>>>> energy, communication) .... the city of Nice have big big problems
>>>>>
>>>>> -------
>>>>>
>>>>> I give a lot of conferences to denounce the destruction of
>>>>> democracy
>>>>> (and other facts) by social networks (some slides here
>>>>> https://blog.nicelab.eu/conferences2017_18/ )
>>>>>
>>>>> -------
>>>>>
>>>>> in october 2018, I have been organising a huge event in Nice,
>>>>> https://at06.eu = 136 conferences about ecological
>>>>> transition, in
>>>>> cooperation with Nice university, with 200 attendes ( 70
>>>>> researchers).
>>>>> It was a huge succes, and we have published a 400 pages book,
>>>>> and yes,
>>>>> Jaromil, ;-) all this was done without a subside, it was a
>>>>> completly
>>>>> zero-budget event, no social network was used, and all videos
>>>>> of the
>>>>> event are on Peertube.... https://peertube.scic-tetris.org/
>>>>> (server down
>>>>> this evening)
>>>>>
>>>>> the university has just provided the conference rooms. Some
>>>>> words in
>>>>> English here about our event translated by Patrice Riemens :
>>>>> https://at06.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/TransitionConventionNice2018.pdf
>>>>>
>>>>> ----------
>>>>>
>>>>> I try now to mount a municipalist movement in Nice, with the
>>>>> help of
>>>>> alternatiba network, a lot of other non-profit orgs, the green
>>>>> party,
>>>>> but the resistance of conservatism is enormous..... The
>>>>> situation in
>>>>> Nice is politically worse every day.....
>>>>>
>>>>> ----------
>>>>>
>>>>> and I grow my garden, and 2 children (6 and 14) .
>>>>>
>>>>> Welcome aboard !
>>>>>
>>>>> JN
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Le 08/05/2019 à 21:03, Patrice Riemens a écrit :
>>>>> > Aloha,
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Ha great Rob, I think 'everybody' should do the same: where
>>>>> r u now,
>>>>> > what have you been doing ...
>>>>> >
>>>>> > me: I moved to Italy, in a village (Fiesole) above the big city
>>>>> > (Firenze) where life is calmer and socializing (& socialism)
>>>>> is still
>>>>> > very much part of the local culture. I tend to be very happy
>>>>> most of
>>>>> > the time. Forthe rest I am an 'Idler' (cf mag.) & a
>>>>> 'Sl@acker'. But
>>>>> > presently I am cat-sitting in ... Oslo.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > On the subject of abundance vs scaricity I am one with Felipe.
>>>>> > Scarcity is an ideological construct that capitalist system
>>>>> conform
>>>>> > economists have imposed on us to make us fearful, angry, and
>>>>> selfish.
>>>>> > It completely distorts reality which is made up of abundance
>>>>> - if you
>>>>> > know where to look for it. Materially speaking resources are
>>>>> indeed
>>>>> > limited, but as Mahatma Gandhi said, there is enough for
>>>>> everybody@s
>>>>> > needs, but not for everybody@s greed. Immaterially speaking,
>>>>> the
>>>>> > resources are simply endless, think of ideas. True, "Erst
>>>>> kommt das
>>>>> > Fressen, dann kommt die Moral." (-Brecht, 'first eat then
>>>>> think), but
>>>>> > then there too there is enough - but like the future of William
>>>>> > Gibson, it's not evenly distributed.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Ahwell, being rambling again ...
>>>>> > Ciao, p+2D!
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> > On 2019-05-08 20:25, Rob van Kranenburg wrote:
>>>>> >> that too, yes let’s reconnect, I will start by writing a
>>>>> short text on
>>>>> >> what I have been doing and why and where I am now, will
>>>>> take a few
>>>>> >> days, rob
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>> Op 8 mei 2019, om 20:08 heeft Paula Vélez
>>>>> <pvelezbr@??? <mailto:pvelezbr@gmail.com>> het
>>>>> >>> volgende geschreven:
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>> it confirms that how lost I am-we are, somepart it the
>>>>> stratosphere of
>>>>> >>> space and time.
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>> El 8/5/19 a las 19:46, Rob van Kranenburg escribió:
>>>>> >>>> I love brico pace.
>>>>> >>>> Without a doubt we can say we are not surfing realtime
>>>>> waves :)
>>>>> >>>>
>>>>> >>>>> Op 8 mei 2019, om 19:38 heeft Felipe Fonseca
>>>>> >>>>> <felipefonseca@???
>>>>> <mailto:felipefonseca@riseup.net>> het volgende geschreven:
>>>>> >>>>>
>>>>> >>>>> No Paula, the idea on this thread was indeed next month.
>>>>> Ricardo has
>>>>> >>>>> just replied a message I sent last november...
>>>>> >>>>>
>>>>> >>>>> On 08/05/2019 07:25, Paula Vélez wrote:
>>>>> >>>>>> @ricardo next year! still time to fasten your seatbelt.
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> Felipe, Fabi, brazilians collegues,
>>>>> >>>>>> from the colombian exils I send you hugs and let's work
>>>>> together for
>>>>> >>>>>> the Amazonian region and to take down Mr B from the
>>>>> landscape.
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> the subject for the next Tropixel sound prety well.
>>>>> I'll be
>>>>> >>>>>> willing to
>>>>> >>>>>> see where my projects are for 2020 to join you. I'll
>>>>> let you know
>>>>> >>>>>> because it motivates me to come.
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>> Paula
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>>>
>>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >>>>> Brico mailing list
>>>>> >>>>> Website on http://www.bricolabs.net
>>>>> >>>>> Unsubscribe:
>>>>> >>>>> https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/brico
>>>>> >>>>
>>>>> >>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >>>> Brico mailing list
>>>>> >>>> Website on http://www.bricolabs.net
>>>>> >>>> Unsubscribe:
>>>>> >>>> https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/brico
>>>>> >>>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >>> Brico mailing list
>>>>> >>> Website on http://www.bricolabs.net
>>>>> >>> Unsubscribe:
>>>>> >>> https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/brico
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> Brico mailing list
>>>>> >> Website on http://www.bricolabs.net
>>>>> >> Unsubscribe:
>>>>> >> https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/brico
>>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>>> > Brico mailing list
>>>>> > Website on http://www.bricolabs.net
>>>>> > Unsubscribe:
>>>>> https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/brico
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Brico mailing list
>>>>> Website on http://www.bricolabs.net
>>>>> Unsubscribe:
>>>>> https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/brico
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> http://catahistorias.wordpress.com
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Brico mailing list
>>>>> Website onhttp://www.bricolabs.net
>>>>> Unsubscribe:https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/brico
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> You will not find me on corporate centralized social media,
>>>> try Mastodonnatacha@???
>>>>
>>>> *********************
>>>> ***************
>>>> Petites Singularités
>>>> https://ps.lesoiseaux.io
>>>> https://ps.zoethical.com
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Brico mailing list
>>>> Website onhttp://www.bricolabs.net
>>>> Unsubscribe:https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/brico
>> --
>>
>> You will not find me on corporate centralized social media,
>> try Mastodonnatacha@???
>>
>> *********************
>> ***************
>> Petites Singularités
>> https://ps.lesoiseaux.io
>> https://ps.zoethical.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Brico mailing list
>> Website onhttp://www.bricolabs.net
>> Unsubscribe:https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/brico
> --
>
> You will not find me on corporate centralized social media,
> try Mastodonnatacha@???
>
> *********************
> ***************
> Petites Singularités
> https://ps.lesoiseaux.io
> https://ps.zoethical.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Brico mailing list
> Website onhttp://www.bricolabs.net
> Unsubscribe:https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/brico
::
Re: [Bricolabs] Next edition of Tro…
