Hopeful Futures

In today’s world, there’s every reason to feel hopeless. We are living through a time of crisis, where doom dominates the headlines and unimaginable suffering unfolds before our eyes. Politics feels broken, out of touch, and unable to address critical issues like poverty, injustice, and environmental destruction. The system seems rigged, resistant to change.

Overwhelming feelings of grief, despair, and fear are crushing our ability to imagine a better future. Hopelessness is stifling our motivation to act.

Yet, if we shift our gaze, we will see a growing wave of people across the country—and around the world—who are actively building more hopeful futures. Community gardens, mutual aid groups, cooperatives of all kinds, solidarity networks, creative collectives, repair cafés, tool libraries, nature restoration projects—these are just a few examples. We can cultivate a root system of alternatives—both big and small—and reclaim a sense of possibility.

Hopeful Futures will be a weekend public gathering that seeks to make visible and celebrate hopeful initiatives across the Highlands. We will offer talks, discussions, and creative workshops, asking, How do we plant the seeds of hope, possibility, and solidarity in our communities? How can we support each other to gather and cultivate conviviality? What is in our power? A community meal will be the centrepiece, with local food and music for all to enjoy. All welcome.

PROGRAMME

SATURDAY 28th SEPTEMBER:

From 12pm, GYM HALL: Set-up - bring your posters for our info wall and enjoy a cup of tea

From 1pm - Welcome talk

1.30pm Panel Discussion - 'Making Change: Local Activism’

• Daniel Cullen, Skye - writer, actor, director and journalist. Daniel will be joined by Steven McKinnon for a performance from the play The Chariot the Flag and the Empty Empty Houses currently on tour across Scotland

• Raghnaid Sandilands, Farr - local activist, artist and map-maker

• Amy Clarkson, Applecross - Woodland Development Officer, Applecross Community Company

• Artemis Pana, Raasay - National Coordinator, Scottish Rural Action

• chaired by Mairi McFadyen

From 2.30pm, WORKSHOP SPACE:

• Learn how to make a zine with Cat Meighan and the HIGHLAND ZINE BOTHY

• Alice Prentice from ISLE OF RISO will be live printing our ‘Hopeful Highlands Hack,’ designed by Maddie Lennon

• Bind your own copy on the MAKING PUBLICS PRESS with Katharine Barrington from ATLAS Arts

• Kidical Mass smoothie bike 

4pm Panel Discussion - 'Cultivating Community: what's in our power?'

• Mari Todd, Black Isle - Community coastal rowing

• Max Crawford-Cumming and Zander Millar Todd - Highland Board Brain, Inverness Skate Park

• Fairlie Kirkpatrick Baird - Feminist Bird Club, Inverness chapter

• Jon Dixon, Inverness - Incredible Edible and Holm Grown Garden

• Robin Wolsey, Skye - ATLAS Arts, alternative economies in Skye and Lochalsh

• chaired by Kirsten Body, Circus Artspace

From 6pm - ASSEMBLY HALL: Harvest Meal & Music

• Local food prepared by chef, land and food activist Col Gordon, Invergordon

• Performances from Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail with Anndra Cumming, Anja MacLennan, Emma Racionzer, Lucy Robertson & Kitty Sykes

• DJ Meiggidh Fraser

SUNDAY 29th September

11am Solidarity Economy: Offers and Needs Market in the GYM HALL

A solidarity economy is rooted in principles of sharing, exchange, local production and collective well-being. It prioritises social justice and ecological sustainability over profit and individualism, fostering practices such as fair trade, mutual aid, gift circles, time-banking, local exchange networks and co-ops. Many such initiatives have existed for decades in our own communities. In this session, we will begin to build our own solidarity economy through the mutual sharing of our offers and needs.

With Mairi McFadyen and Rachel Skene, Helmsdale

1pm - Soup lunch and farewell

Hosted by Mairi McFadyen and Kirsten Body (Circus Artspace)

Bursaries: we are keen to make this event as accessible as possible. If you need help with travel, we can offer a number of small travel bursaries, no questions asked. Email Kirsten at hello@circus.scot 

All other enquiries contact Mairi at hello@mairimcfadyen.scot