Stroud Festival of Commoning
By Chikara Shimasaki | Stroud Commons
September 2025
Stroud becomes a hub for rethinking community, economy, and democracy this September
As Stroud continues to nurture its vibrant scene of grassroots initiatives—from community land campaigns to various commoning initiatives - the town is set to host the second Festival of Commoning on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th this week.
Bringing together thinkers, activists, and practitioners from across the UK and beyond, the event promises a deep dive into how communities can reclaim power through shared resources, innovative governance, and mutual support. With a packed schedule of talks, workshops, and socials, it's a timely gathering for anyone interested in building resilient, equitable futures amid ongoing social and environmental challenges.
Held at the Lansdown Hall and Centre for Science and Arts, the festival kicks off on Friday with a focus on "Localism, Commoning, Governance, and Policy."
Friday
The morning features a participatory talk on "Public Health and Social Connections" by local MP and former GP Simon Opher alongside author Simon Lennane, emphasising the vital role of community ties in well-being—a theme that resonates deeply in Stroud's own network of hubs and mutual aid groups.
The day unfolds with sessions on collaborative finance, led by experts like Matthew Slater, Sue Bell, and Dil Green, who will introduce mutual credit systems and the Credit Commons protocol for global connections.
Dil Green returns for a talk on "Commons Governance," exploring stakeholder configurations for long-term community stability. Tom Woodroof, co-founder of Local Loop Merseyside, will discuss integrating small businesses into these models, highlighting immediate financial benefits and paths toward localisation — ideas that could inspire Stroud's independent traders and circular economy efforts.
Mountain-Themes
Afternoon highlights include "Fashion Commons" from members of OurCommon.Market, advocating for degrowth and decolonial approaches to clothing, and an interactive "Liberating Structures" workshop with David Heath to map movement growth.
The day wraps with a Legislative Theatre session on participatory democracy, where participants co-create policy through performance, followed by Rob Callender's exploration of Kin Cooperative's online platform for community savings.
Friday evening events will be at Lansdown Hall from 6:30 PM, featuring discussions on "Social, Economic, and Governance Innovations in Commoning" with Indy Johar of Dark Matter Labs, Bruce White of OICD, Claire Mellier of Iswe, and Dil Green.
If this isn’t your cup of tea, there is a window for networking, with recommendations for nearby spots like Holy Water or Town Owl Taphouse.
Saturday
Saturday pivots to "Stories from Real-Life Contexts: Energy and Buildings, Land and Food," encouraging visitors to check out the bustling Saturday market beforehand.
Chris Cook opens with "Zen & the Art of Commoning," sharing insights on complementary financing and legal tools for community-led enterprises.
Michel Rauchs and Chik Shimasaki — familiar to locals through Stroud Commons and recent projects like the Climbing Commons — launch the Commons Lab, outlining R&D, fieldwork, and education to scale commoning initiatives.
Alyssa Pearce
Other sessions include Zoë Blackler's interactive dive into "Reviving the Commons: The Money Commons," drawing on historical charters for modern financial systems, and Adam Greenfield's talk on "Lifehouse," recovering lessons from global mutual aid efforts like the Black Panther programs and Occupy Sandy.
ByKate DaileyBBC News Magazine, New York
Lunch breaks offer time to reflect, followed by Andy Goldring on permaculture's role in commons frameworks, and Kat Child and Ben Dayan from Trinity Rooms & NoSH (Network of demonstrating sociocratic governance in action.
Pam Warhurst of Incredible Edible brings her "Right to Grow" campaign, pushing for community access to unused land — echoing local efforts like the Rodborough Fields bid.
Professor Jem Bendell discusses the "Great Reclamation" in response to systemic collapse, while Jess Steele shares successes and challenges from Hastings Commons.
The afternoon features Marcus Saul on "Island Power" for resilient energy grids, Claude Hendrickson on community-led housing, and Ken Moon on Tir Pontypridd's land access initiatives.
For dinner, we recommend supporting local eateries like Simpsons Fish & Chips or Karibu Vegan, before the evening at Centre for Science and Arts from 7:00 PM.
A conversation with Carne Ross, former diplomat and founder of Independent Diplomat, explores decentralized governance and transitions, with Q&A. The other option is to end on a high note with comedy from Wendy Wason, Jake Donaldson, Bas Rahman, and Funmbi Omotayo.
Organised around themes of co-creation and real-world application, the Festival of Commoning explores the cutting edge of what’s happening both theoretically and at a grassroots level.
Tickets
Tickets are available at festival-of-commoning.org, with options for full access (£75 for two days and lunch) or individual days (£40 for a day ticket with lunch).
Whether you're a seasoned activist or just curious about commoning, this event offers tools, stories, and connections to amplify local change. Don't miss it — Stroud's voice in the valleys is loud and it's getting louder.
Day passes and wristbands will also be available at the venues
Chik Shimasaki is a Stroud-based community activist, a lateral thinker, a strategist and a builder of positive impact initiatives that can scale and deliver systemic solutions. Now working on propagating, cross-pollinating and creating systems to distribute new models of commoning.
Amplify Stroud is supported by Dialect rural writers collective. Dialect offers mentorship, encouragement and self-study courses as well as publishing.
You can find out more at https://www.dialect.org.uk/
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