Green Tease: Economies of care

Join us online to explore the commons, what this alternative paradigm is, and the emerging creative practices to sustain and co-create commons.

In the first half of this Green Tease, independent researcher Dr Svenja Meyerricks will introduce the themes of commons and commoning. Some brief definitions published by the University of Edinburgh Futures Institute to start with:

• ‘Commons are material or social resources that are managed and coordinated (and sometimes owned in a formal legal sense) by a community. Their stewardship is guided by norms and values for sustainable community governance without sole dependence on either state control or market mechanisms. More broadly, the commons can also represent an alternative paradigm for social, economic and political organisation and development, based on principles and practices of solidarity and democratic governance.’
• Commoning is ‘the social practices undertaken by communities to create, develop, sustain or govern common resources. Typical amongst such practices are collaboration, co-production, participation, and deliberation.’

We’ll then hear from Fran Quiroga, director of Concomitentes, who will share the story of their Land Commons project. Land Commons radically reimagined the role of creative processes in the collective management of a woodland in Galicia, northern Spain.

At 12.45pm, we’ll take a five-minute screen break.

We’ll end this Green Tease by building a temporary digital commons. Artist Ailie Rutherford will facilitate use of String Figures, a prototype collaborative software for collective working centred on the principles of mutual care and co-operation. Ailie co-designed the software with Bettina Nissen and creative technologist Bob Moyler.

About our collaborators

Dr Svenja Meyerricks (she/her) is a human ecologist, independent researcher and educator based in Lochwinnoch with an interest in community resilience rooted in commons and degrowth principles. She is a Fellow of the education co-operative Centre for Human Ecology.

Fran Quiroga (he/him) is a transdisciplinary researcher and is the current director of Concomitentes. His work explores the intersections between activism, art, social participation and the commons.

Ailie Rutherford (she/they) is a Glasgow-based visual artist, curator, and founder-director of the Feminist Exchange Network. Known for her collaborative and socially engaged artworks, Ailie works at the intersection of community activism and creative practice. Her projects foster dialogue about our social and economic landscapes, often framed through a feminist lens.

About Green Tease

Green Tease is culture/SHIFT's ongoing informal events programme connecting cultural practices and environmental sustainability across Scotland. Since 2013 Green Tease has provided a platform for those interested in teasing out the links between the arts, climate change and environmental sustainability through the exchange of ideas, knowledge and practices. Green Tease events are open to people from creative and environmental backgrounds and free to attend.

Accessibility

This event will take place on Zoom. The first half of this Green Tease does not require active engagement and it will be possible to simply listen in. After the break, active participation will be required during Ailie Rutherford's creative workshop. 

Do you need support to attend?

Everyone is welcome at our events.

We know that it’s sometimes difficult for everyone to attend because of unintended barriers. We want to make any necessary adjustments to our events so that no one is excluded. These adjustments will, most likely, differ from event to event and person to person, so we need your help to get it right.

Please inform us of your accessibility requirements for this event during the registration process or get in touch by emailing eleanor.white@cultureforclimate.scot if you would like to provide more information or ask any questions.

You’ll understand that some adjustments may take more time to arrange than others, so we appreciate you giving us as much notice as possible about what you need so that we can support you to get the most out of this event.