Land Project

Multi-Cultural Eco-Arts Community Project Proposal

The proposal is to create a sustainable arts and ecology residential centre, registered as a Community Land Trust . The collective managing it will be a Community Interest Company or Community Benefit Co-operative.
Aims:

  • To manage the land and infrastructure sustainably, following permaculture principles.
  • To provide educational and training opportunities.
  • To design and build. low impact, energy efficient , homes… for individuals and families.
  • To establish on site eco-friendly small businesses.
  • To host community events.


Objectives.
BA):SE ECO ARTS COLLECTIVE

  • will manage the land in a sustainable manner following permaculture principles
  • will gow organic food by establishing a.. CSA community supported agricultural scheme, Involving the local wider community. including some livestock.
  • will deliver practical training courses for visitors and residents from both rural and urban backgrounds,local and worldwide.
  • establishing links across the generations, encouraging and learning from the wisdom of elders.

areas of interest fall into four main categories…

1/land sustainability
permaculture / woodland management and related crafts/ /horticulture/animal husbandry

  • permaculture and eco-village design courses.
  • low impact design and build.
  • re-skilling for self sufficiency.
  • bushcraft and survival skills.
  • livelihood craft skills.
  • deep ecology.
  • appropriate technology.

2/ Creative Arts

  • creative self expression through
  • visual arts, music, drama, song.
  • martial arts , other movement disciplines, dance and circus skills.

3/ Emotional Literacy

  • listening and communication skill
  • co-counselling
  • N.V.C. non-violent communication
  • physical health/ nutrtion.

4/ Celebrations and Events

  • rites of passage
  • ceremony work.
  • celebrating the cycles of the year.

5/ Will build residential units ,and community spaces, following an eco-village design devised and built by residents and visitors in a series of training sessions, using a diversity of techniques.
the community buildings including compost loos, bath house, and dojo movement/meditation /meeting space will be the first structures.
appropriate and renewable technologies will provide off grid energy.
6/ Will establish eco –businesses, once site set up.. to include

  • consultancy services delivered by core members to public .
  • eco-building team to design and build off site
  • café,venue and gallery.
  • various arts/crafts related businesses.
  • farming, alongside CSA , horticultural businesses ,eg veg. box schemes.herb cultivation, and tree nursery.



More Detail

Aim
To establish a permanent eco-arts community as a creative living initiative.

Steps

  1. Identify the land: South facing with a supply of clean spring water, existing woodlands and orchards with a river nearby. Avoiding flood plains & other areas vulnerable to climate change. 2/ Set up: Build up the site in a series of practical, hands on permaculture courses:
    1. Creating low impact dwellings & communal spaces, using a variety of designs, materials & building techniques.
    2. Water, create compost toilets, solar showers, hot tubs, grey water systems, reed beds for water purification.
    3. Sauna, bread oven, mandala gardens, forest gardens, chicken greenhouse, etc.
    4. Build our own appropriate technology systems: Solar & wind & bicycle power for heating, lighting & electrical equipment.
  2. The first communal structure apart from compost loos & shower/wash area will be a dojo (dance/movement/martial arts/meditation/music/meeting space).
Developing a Democratic Process
From the outset we will practice listening & counseling skills non-violent communication have structures for conflict resolution.

Legal Structure
We will be registered as a co-operative, or community not for profit business. 4/ Food: We would grow our own food & keep some animals, aiming to become self-sufficient eventually having surplus to supply our own café / venue.

Diversifying courses & workshops: Continue to run permaculture & survival skills courses begin workshops in the performing arts, including martial arts & meditation, african dance & drum capoiera, hip-hop, dance choreography, circus skills & theatre games, contact improvisation, listening, counseling & non-violent communication skills.

Spirit Of Community
Respect & cooperation are central, expressed through ceremony & celebration rites of passage earth based spirituality.

Hosting international groups
Providing a creative community for individuals & groups from all over the world to come to stay to learn diverse life & creative skills to empower, develop confidence & self esteem. To provide training for wwoof volunteers.

Who This Is For
We will make this base particularly accessible to young people of 16-30 (although not exclusively) through inner city youth projects ,post GCSE kids, the alternative schools network, special needs kids, and young offenders.

Also taking guests & backpackers on work or payment exchange. We would as a community be diverse in age,as well as in other ways, & an important function would be to develop & encourage communication between the ages, learning from the elders. we would design with elders in mind.

Developing Models
The model for this can start anywhere, we are currently looking in sw england, france, portugal & spain.

Outreach
We will run workshops & make performance as a touring troupe, spreading messages of ecological / environmental awareness & co-operative living. Supporting local environmental groups with their community projects eg: tree planting & river/well/spring cleaning! Helping develop community gardens & other projects.

Cultural Exchange
Developing cultural exchanges between our strategic partners. At present being Portugal, Spain, France, SW England. Ghana,

Fair trade businesses
Developing small busineses with local, fair trade sructures & high ecological standards, around the arts, crafts, music, food, accredited education, eco-building and appropriate technologies.

The farming/horticultural side will develop small businessess of its own. Giving meaningful work, & therefore raised self esteem for young people able to create work for themselves.

We also plan to develop our medicine, ceremony & shamanic work.

We would develop a system of support in setting up other co-operatives.,as a consultancy & a training provider for Gaia University.

Further Business Ideas

  • Designs for clothing / t-shirts on organic hemp /cotton
  • Organic juice bar/cafe
  • Craft & art works.....photos, cards/ postcards
  • Music ...produce our own cd's
  • Hosting & arranging arts events
  • Using our circus big top for workshops & events, & also hiring it out.

 

Check out  film of our street art project and skate park event https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEZQpHcB8nE