Glocal hub (local and global). Location for informal, non-hierarchical 'peer to peer' learning.

1. WHAT IS ARCSPACE MANCHESTER? • Glocal hub (local and global). • Location for informal, non-hierarchical 'peer to peer' learning. • Umbrella for Creative Eco Technologies and digital culture. • ARC – Autonomous, Reflective, Creative. • Affiliated to Bricolabs – autonomous node. • Intersection point for local communities, artists, activists, academics, strategists

2. CURRENT PROJECTS • Computer recycling with adults and excluded young people • Creative Eco Technologies Project • International streamed online-dance off • Water project • Regular drop-ins and signposting • Streamed public discussions with international partners and local adult education centres.

3. COMPUTER RECYCLING • Teaching basic computer hardware and software skills. • Introducing and promoting open source software, in a fun, informal way. • Our computer recycling classes support social, environmental and educational goals. • Re-use of donated computers via our computer recycling classes. • Students get to take home the system they build. • We emphasise the environmental benefits of the re-use of IT equipment.

4. CREATIVE ECO-TECHNOLOGIES • Eco-Techno project including ethical textiles, calculating carbon footprint. • Alternative currencies, computer recycling, local food, permaculture and tailoring individual carbon reduction action plans. • The recent Green City/Carbon Innovation Fund backed creative eco technologies pilot that we ran was an immense success. • With numerous adult learners, regarded as ‘hard-to-reach’ dynamically reducing their carbon footprints by between one sixth and one quarter in 10 weeks. • Developing personalised action plans to continue as community delegates to raise awareness and positive activities towards climate change. • We hope to expand the project for 2011 and are partnering with projects in Amazonia, Colombia and Indonesia.

5. INTERNATIONAL DANCE OFF AND TELEPRESENCE ACTIVITIES During the summer and autumn of 2009, we were commissioned by Arts Council England and Voluntary Arts England to organise an exciting research and development project with Mauj (Pakistan), Intermundos (Colombia) and Telekommando (Brasil). This became an international dance off project between UK, Brasil, Colombia and Pakistan. Over 400 people took part in this initial piece of testing and the feedback has been extremely positive. The work was a series of exploratory online dance off tests using free software and musical fusions that were both produced by artists via sending material online, and in real time live mixes in order to promote digital inclusion and equality between the different. Already many of the artists involved have formed new cross-cultural collaborations and discussions and numerous international projects have asked if they can be involved in future activities. We also have organised numerous telepresence streamed activities with projects in Brasil, Indonesia, France, Colombia etc around the water project and other cross-cultural problem solving initiatives. We are working to co-ordinate a variety of events in 2011.

6. WATER PROJECT • This year during the 3rd nu substance festival – new media, ecology, sustainability and civil society, discussed global water concerns. ArcSpace is a co-ordinating body of the International Waterlabs project which looks to interdisciplinary and cross-cultural collaborations to solve crucial water issues. • One of these projects is to get young people who have water scarcity issues to collaborate to make cartoons. Young people are asked to make outline sheets for others to colour in to outlines to be more ecological sound e.g. taking care of plants, recycling water using cross-cultural learning p2p learning practices, via shared artwork. • In August 2011, the Waterlabs project is going to take to water ways in Greece, UK (Manchester to London), Beijing, Amazonia and Yogyakarta. • The Waterlabs project can be found at http://wiki.bricolabs.net/index.php/WaterLabs

7. FUTURE WORK • CADIC EU Cluster project for SMEs • Ideas into action – Formation of preliminary interdisciplinary working groups to discuss problems. • Networking activities between hubs. • Identification, liaison and workshops with local community groups. • Recommendations to local governments. • International Hackerfest. • Pilot Hub for Big Society. • Co-ordinating skill swapping and alternative currencies. • Eco-biz. • Ethical Artisanal Grotto. • Continuation of existing projects • Cultural, Creative and Heritage Archive and Portal - International

8. PARTNERS • Bricolabs – International. • House of natural fibers – Indonesia. • Firmstart – UK. • Descentro – Brazil. • Intermundos – Colombia. • Comunindios – Brazil. • Girl Geek Afternoon Tea – UK. • TGL TV – UK. • London Multimedia Lab – UK. • Zenzone – China. • Street Style Surgery – UK. • Ethical Media Solutions – UK. • My Sewing Box – UK. • LSEN – UK. • Union Street Media Collective – UK. • MAUJ Media Collective – Pakistan. • Common Room – Indonesia. • Cadic – EU. • Sketch Burnley – UK. • Telekommando – International. • Midia Etnica – Brazil. • (And numerous other affiliated nodes).

9. CONTACT US ARCSPACE MANCESTER Website: www.arcspacemanchester.org.uk Email: arcspacemanchester@googlemail.com Showreel of our works available on request.