Festival Tickets 2024

The ABCs Festival 2024 was a two-day interactive event at Bristol’s Arts Mansion at Ashton Court from 10-11 July 2024.

Join hundreds of people who are transforming their local economy and participate in practical workshops, inspirational panels, and ideas surgeries.

In the evening we're also hosting live bands and DJs from across the UK!

CHECK OUT THE EVENT IN PICTURES
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See Our 2024 Programme

Main Stage

Courtyard Stage

Wednesday 10 July 2024

10am

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Transforming city economies

Hani Salih, The Quality of Life Foundation | Rachel Laurence, Centre for Thriving Places | Maddy Longhurst, Bristol Commons Network | Ben Beach, Unit 38

11am

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How we raised community shares to save or start our business

Jennifer Bird, Signalise | Matt Otridge, Music Venue Trust | Emma Moore, Zion Bristol

11am

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Everyday participation: how to involve more people in your mission

Oliver Holtaway, New Citizenship Project

12pm

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Unlocking space: meanwhile use to community ownership

Bex Trevalyan, Platform Places | Juliet Can, Stour Trust CLT | Victoria Barrow Williams, People Dem Collective | Andy Edwards, Makespace Oxford

12pm

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Co-operative cultures: creative writing session

Phil Wrigglesworth & Colum Leith, Left Cultures

2pm

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How we built a membership organisation

Suzanne Orchard, Stir to Action | Eliz Mizon, Bristol Cable | Richard Daws, Komedia Bath | John Atherton, workers.coop

2pm

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Field building hackathon: alternative pathways to neighbourhood development

Naomi Rubbra, Footwork | Bex Trevalyan, Platform Places

3pm

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Community energy: taking practical climate action

Marianne Brown & Helen Martin, Bristol Energy Co-op | Mark Pepper, Ambition Lawrence Weston | Stuart Phelps, Baggator

3pm

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Alternative Business Models: an introduction

Mark Simmonds, Co-op Culture

4pm

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Working with public institutions: getting your local council on side

Anaïs Bozetine, Owned by Oxford | John Atherton, Preston Co-operative Development Network | Emily Urquhart, Oxfordshire County Council

4pm

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We’re good for it: social investment stories

Tim Coomer, Co-op & Community Finance | Keith Cowling, Stokes Croft Community Land Trust

5pm

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What’s the future of new economies?

Matt Fazal, Power to Change | Eliza Hostin Silva, Bristol University | Tim Crabtree, Wessex Community Assets | Alice Hemming, Co-operative Futures

11am to 3pm

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Open Space

a space for sessions run by you / conversations to continue

Open Space

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Our catchment: augmented reality experience

Animorph

Open Space

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Ideas surgery

6.30pm

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Festival Quiz

Jonny Gordon-Farleigh, Stir to Action | Adam Rich, Stir to Action

Thursday 11 July 2024

10am

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Funding the future

Bonnie Chiu, Pathway Fund | Jonathan Levy, Joseph Rowntree Foundation | Kiki Mager, Good Ancestor Movement

10am

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Community shares: how to create your offer

John Dawson, Co-operatives UK

11am

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Battling for the ownership of the UK's new social infrastructure

Matt Leach, Local Trust | Ajaye Hunn-Phillips, Project PT

11am

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AI in the new economy: how & where should we use it?

Daniel Stanley, Future Narratives Lab | Karin Rudolph, Collective Intelligence UK | Bronwyn Kunhardt, Polecat

12pm

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So you want to farm? Securing land for food

Nicola Scott, Stir to Action | Bonnie Hewson, Farming the Future | Ped Asgarian, Feeding Bristol | Hatty Richards, Landworkers' Alliance

12pm

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Community tech: digital tools for your organisation

Rachael Burton, Careful Trouble | Jennifer Bird, Signalise

2pm

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Where next for community-led housing?

Anna Hope, Ecomotive | Pippa St.John Cooper, Whitleigh Big Local | Tim Crabtree, Raise the Roof | Anurag Verma, RUSS | Athlyn Cathcart-Keays, WeCanMake

2pm

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Finance Clinic

Esther Foreman, Social Change Nest | Paul Pizzala, Ethex | Blue O'Connor, School for Social Entrepreneurs

3pm

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Building a policy manifesto for the new economy

Heydon Prowse, BBC Three's Bafta-winning The Revolution Will Be Televised

3pm

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Decentralised decision making: an introduction to Sociocracy

Cait Crosse

11am to 3pm

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Open Space

a space for sessions run by you / conversations to continue

Open Space

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Nature on the board

Kelly Bewers

Open Space

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Our catchment: augmented reality experience

Animorph

Live Music at our 2024 Festival

Live Music: Afro Cluster

Afro Cluster is a Cardiff-born collective inspired by the legacy of West-African funk/Afrobeat and golden age Hip-Hop, instigating love and hope in an increasingly hostile world with strong rhythms and jazzy refrains emboldened by motivational lyrics penned and delivered by emcee Skunkadelic.

Lèse Majesté Club Night

Friends of the Joiners Arms brings you Lèse Majesté - the club night experience! Lèse Majesté's own host, Prinx Silver, will jump on the DJ decks, while drag kings Shardeazy Afrodesiak and Macho Mei will be gogo-dancing the night away. Expect a blend of slaggy pop edits & queer club bangers, topped up with reggaeton rhythms.

Food & Drink at our 2024 Festival

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All festival participants will be treated to a free lunch from Coexist Community Kitchen.

After the daytime workshops and panels finish, we’re shifting into full festival mode and offering two street food options for the evening.

The Little Taquero is a family owned Mexican street food business based in Bristol with a focus on traditional ingredients and big flavours.

Wood Chop Pizza are a regular at markets around Bristol and make Neapolitan pizzas in their wood-fired oven, aiming to keep everything that goes into the pizza as simple and as high-quality as possible.

Discount Offer: 25 for £25

We're offering 25 tickets for just £25 each! These are for marginalised communities, young adults, disabled individuals, and those living in areas of deprivation.

Apply Now

Info from our 2024 Festival

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Arts Mansion

Ashton Court Estate, Long Ashton, Bristol BS41 9JN

What3words: ///admit.values.each

Stir to Action’s ABCs of the New Economy Festival 2024 is being held at the Arts Mansion at Ashton Court Estate in Bristol.

Now publicly owned, and managed by the arts charity Artspace Lifespace to create public benefit, Arts Mansion at Ashton Court has been reclaimed from its original owners' links to slavery as a grassroots inclusive and progressive space.

Getting here:

Bus

Take the X3 excel or X4 excel bus from the city centre, 10-minute walk from the bus stop.

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Taxi

Taxis are about £10 from the centre.

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Driving

There are three car parks at the Ashton Court Estate. The car parks open at 8am.The cost to park at Church Lodge and Mansion House car parks is: £1 for up to 1 hour; £2 for up to 2 hours; £3 for up to 5 hours.

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Mansion House is the car park nearest to the Arts Mansion. It is managed by RingGo - location 22752, you can pay via app, call the number provided or pay with cash (you will need coins).

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Address - Mansion House Car park Kennel Lodge Rd, Bristol BS3 2JT

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If you want to stay longer than 5 hours, you can pay for extra hours at the end of your original parking.There is no parking charge for Blue Badge holders, motorcycles and scooters.

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Cycling/Scooter

The National Cycle Route 33 - Festival Way goes through Ashton Court Estate. There is ample bike biking by the Stables Cafe.

There is an E-Scooter parking bay at the Bower Ashton University of England campus.

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Arrival/Departures

Wednesday 10 July - Check-in from 9.00, Sessions 10.00 - 18.30

Thursday 11 July - Check-in from 9.00, Sessions 10.00 - 18.00‍

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ABCs Primer

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The ABCs of the New Economy is our practical primer and event guide to inspire local economic change.

Once again we're all facing real political instability and economic pressure. Made worse by huge wealth inequalities, rocketing prices, an endless housing crisis, and persistent failure to take real action on climate. For all the promises from our politicians about bouncing back, levelling up, and sharing prosperity, it’s just not happening for most of us.

Despite crisis after crisis, new economic ideas are still largely unknown across communities, and it’s time for a post-pandemic movement to inspire local economic change.

The ABCs of the New Economy is an accessible ‘primer’ on all aspects of the new economy, sharing straightforward tools and ideas for workplaces, communities, and movements for change.

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Get a copy

Book cover of the ABCs of the New Economy

Accessibility

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The Mansion is a step free venue with an accessible toilet. The South Lawn entrance is not wheelchair accessible, there are a number of steps to access the venue. Wheelchair access is via the Mansion’s front door, see image below:

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There is a slight step up to the front door but we have a ramp available if needed. Blue badge holders can also park here. Directions to front of Arts Mansion:

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Please always let us know in advance if any of your attendees have access requirements so we can offer extra assistance and support. Free tickets are available for carers, email us for details events@stirtoaction.com

FAQS

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What are the arrival and departure times?

The venue is open for ticket holders to check in from 9am on Wednesday and Thursday, with the event expected to wrap up by 1am on Wednesday, and by 6pm on Thursday.

Can I buy a ticket on the door?

Yes, subject to availability. We expect tickets to sell out before the event, so it is advisable to purchase tickets in advance online.

Are bursaries available to get a free ticket?

Depending on sponsorship, we will occasionally promote discounted tickets for this event. Subscribe to the Stir to Action newsletter to be notified of offers.

I can no longer attend. Can I get a refund for my ticket?

Click on the Ts&Cs tab for full details on cancellations and refunds.

Can I bring my kids?

The festival is aimed at ages 16 and over.

Who can I contact if I have any questions?

Should you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch at events@stirtoaction.com.

More FAQs coming soon

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Festival Booking Terms & Conditions

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Day Tickets

Programme information published on this website is subject to change. We will try to notify you as soon as possible of any changes. If, as a result of a schedule change, you would like to switch your day ticket, contact events@stirtoaction.com (subject to availability). No refund will be made for schedule changes, unless a written request is received no less than four weeks before the festival starts

Refunds

Refunds will only be made if a written refund request is received no less than four weeks before the festival starts. Send your written request via email to events@stirtoaction.com. If you cancel your booking less than four weeks before the event, no refund will be made other than in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the festival organisers. No refund will be made for non-attendance.

Cancellation

In the event we have to cancel the festival, we will endeavour to inform all ticket holders at least two weeks before the festival is due to take place, although please be aware that this is not always possible. In such an event, all ticket fees paid to date will be reimbursed in full. We are unable to reimburse any other costs that may be incurred (i.e. travel, accommodation). In the event that festival dates have to be changed, ticket holders may request a full refund if the new dates are not convenient. Should you have any questions regarding these terms and conditions, please contact the festival team via events@stirtoaction.com.

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