spring: culture & climate commons

Join us to mark the first day of Spring and help shape the future of GMAST as a cultural climate co-operative.

We will begin at 2:46pm — the exact moment when day and night are in balance.

Why now?

Because this is a moment of change for our climate, our sector, and for GMAST as we explore becoming a co-operative rooted in shared responsibility, care, and collective impact.

Come and take part in conversations that bring together Greater Manchester’s cultural community to explore our shared response to the climate and ecological crisis.

Over the past few months, we’ve been reflecting on how our network can grow and evolve — becoming a space for thinking, learning, feeling, and collective change. A place where organisations and freelancers can collaborate, imagine and build our shared future together.

Whether you’ve been involved with GMAST or not if you work in Greater Manchester’s arts and cultural sector and care about people and the planet, we would love you to join us.

Expect food, drink, music, art & culture, conversation and connection — with absolutely no speeches or powerpoint guaranteed!

 Get your hands in some soil, catch up and meet new people. 

Location and Travel:

28 Old Birley Street

Manchester M15 5RG

Tel. 0161 227 8198

This venue is fully accessible and open to the public for seven days a week.

tfgm.com/plan-a-journey

Food: 

Please RSVP by March 16th if you'd like food so we don't prepare too much.

Bursaries:

We have 25 bursaries of £70 available to support freelance cultural workers to attend.

These are intended for people for whom taking half a day away from paid work, covering care costs, or other financial pressures would otherwise make attendance difficult.

We particularly welcome applications from people who experience structural or systemic barriers, including those who are racially minoritised, migrants from the global majority, D/Deaf, disabled, neurodivergent, or living with long-term health conditions.

Bursaries can contribute towards travel and care costs. Additional access costs can be requested separately.

Priority groups include:

• People who are unemployed or under-employed

• People with low or insecure income

• People from racially minoritised or migrant backgrounds

• D/Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent people

• Carers who need to cover care costs to attend

• Students reliant on loans

• People with little or no financial security

(These priorities are not ranked in order of importance.)

To apply, simply select “Yes” when asked about bursaries during booking. You are welcome to tell us which priorities apply to you, but you do not have to.

If you experience barriers not listed here, please let us know — we recognise this is not an exhaustive list.

We will then get back in touch with you.

We also have an access fund so please tell us if you have any access requirements, such as transport support, step-free access, rest space, BSL interpretation, a companion ticket, or anything else that would support your participation.

This event is being supported by GMCA Culture as part of Collaborate