Is this a conference?

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If you think a conference is something really dull and boring, then no! We have some sit-down talks which you might choose to go to, but lots of other types of session as well, so there should hopefully be plenty to appeal if talks aren’t what you’re after. We do take the work of building community seriously and we’re passionate about figuring out the best ways to do it  – this is more than just a celebration – but it won’t feel like an academic conference. Having a look at the programme from the previous year will give you a good idea of whether it will appeal. A large part of the event is also in the conversations we have in-between the scheduled sessions, and the sense of community that we are building between us.​

 

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What's the demographic - aren't these communities mostly for white middle-class people?

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Not exclusively, although this does tend to be a large part of our demographic. We support an egalitarian communities movement and would like this event to represent a diversity of cultures, but we know this isn’t always the case.  The communities movement in this country can partly feel rooted in the big-house rural communities that developed in the 60s and 70s. That culture has had a fairly white, financially-privileged, sometimes hetero-normative history and this still informs who chooses to come to these spaces. We see this changing, and hope that these events can support that change by representing and welcoming a diverse group of folks in the movement. If you feel that you are part of a community that isn’t represented by our programme then please let us know, especially if you are interested in offering something. We also plan to schedule sessions at each event which support us in looking directly at some of the dynamics around accessibility and privilege.

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If you think that issues around this may disproportionately affect you then you are welcome to get in touch - we’ll be honest in our responses.

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I can’t afford to come, but would like to. Do you offer tickets at reduced rates?

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Yes - we know that people attending have a wide range of financial means. The ticketing is usually structured to have a full price and a concession ticket. We know that some types of communal living make full-time work difficult to maintain and/or represent an intentional choice to live in an alternative economy.  We also know that the concession price is still high for some people, and if this is a barrier then please do contact us and we will probably be able to offer tickets at a further discount, depending on the state of our finances. We want to support people to attend.

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The Communities Conference organisation is not-for-profit, and apart from the catering team we are all volunteers. We do hope that the event has enough income to give some money to the host community, as they are giving up time, resources, and sometimes money-making opportunities in order to host us.

 

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Are kids & families welcome?

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Yes. We’ve found that how much we can cater for families depends on how family-orientated the host community is, but we always have a few families attending and we see it as an important part of healthy community. You’ll need to be responsible for your kids throughout the event – we’ll have some family-friendly activities scheduled, and have a safeguarding policy for each event, but we do not offer childcare.

 

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I don’t live in a community. Can I come?

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Yes. The event is for people who are interested in joining and creating communities as well as people already in community. We also welcome academics and other folks with an interest in this way of life. If attending is part of your professional work then it’s nice to hear from you before the event.

 

How accessible are your events for those with mobility issues?

It depends on the venue - our hosts are communities, so our ability to meet accessibility needs will vary. Often the site layout means that there is a bit of distance between camping and venues. We will typically provide accessible toilets, and most of the sessions will be accessible. There may also be accessible accommodation available. It’s worth contacting us if you have specific needs that aren’t covered by the venue information.

 

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I have specific dietary requirements – will these be accommodated?

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We provide vegetarian food as standard, with vegan and gluten free options. If you have more specific needs, you may want to bring some of your own food to supplement what we provide – we’ve found it pretty hard in the past to cater for everybody’s preferences! Let us know if you have any major allergies.

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I don’t want to camp. What are my options?

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Depending on the host community, we will have limited indoor accommodation available at an extra cost. The price of this accommodation is often how communities finance some of their overheads. If you’d rather, you are welcome to also look for accommodation off-site. You’ll still need to buy a standard ticket, and are welcome to stay on site for as much of the event as you want to.

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