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Festival of Commoning

Common Ground: Healing Divides

Two days of ideas, conversations, creativity and deep connection for people trying to build a different future together

“I left with a renewed sense that commoning isn’t just a concept, it’s a practice. One that asks us to rethink how we relate to each other, to place, and to the systems we are part of.”

Attendee at FOC 2025

This Festival is for you, if...

you care about community but don't know where to start.
you want to find practical alternatives rather than just talking about what's wrong.
you're working on local change and want to think with others who are doing the same.
you're interested in land, housing, food, energy, leisure or community ownership.
you want meaningful and indepth conversations with people who have aligned priorities
you want to find hope, collaboration and positivity in a time of despair, conflict and uncertaintiy.

Join us to explore how commoning can support belonging, mutual care, resilience and shared power in the face of societal division, polarisation, inequality, isolation and exclusion.

What is Commoning?

Commoning brings things like land, housing, energy and leisure facilities into community ownership. These things are managed together as a community to make sure they remain available for future generations. Once in the commons, they are owned and looked after by the community forever, with no debt, shareholders or private landlords to pay.

With you, we can help to build the global movement. Join us!

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Paul Kahawatte, Navigate Cooperative: Conflict, Collaboration & Collective Power

The Stroud Climbing Commons

Stroud Brewery

Paul Kahawatte, Navigate Cooperative: Conflict, Collaboration & Collective Power

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Head

Be inspired by stories about commoning projects across the UK and around the world. Hear the origins, learn about the challenges, and understand what makes them work.

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Festival Elements

There will be range of formats to support connection of minds, hearts and hands.

There will be storytelling, listening and discussing.

There will be workshops to learn skills, share ideas and experience different approaches.

And there will be opportunities to get out and about to see commoning projects already making an impact.

Throughout we will support the most important contributors – you the participants – with time to connect with and inspire each other.

Interested in volunteering?

Heart

Learn new skills, experience commoning practices and discuss core themes with fellow participants. These participatory workshops provide an opportunity to work alongside other commoning supporters to deepen knowledge, skills and connnections.

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Hands

Get stuck into commoning projects in and around Stroud. Visit Stroud Climbing Commons, the first ever commons climbing wall. Help out with conservation efforts in The Heavens, a community land buy-out. Harvest vegetables at Common Soil, a community-supported agriculture project. Or cook up a feast with reclaimed food at the Trinity Rooms. Or stay close to the main sites, and visit our community living room, hosted by Camerados in Bank Gardens.

Connect

Friday night we'll head to The Long Table for a pay-what-you-can community meal, and then on to Stroud Brewery to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month. On Saturday, we'll round off the festival with a community meal and music at the Trinity Rooms.

Find out about volunteering

“What struck me most was the depth of conversation at the festival. This wasn’t surface-level networking or performative collaboration. It was an invitation to slow down, to listen differently, and to explore what it really means to hold things in common, whether that’s land, power, knowledge, or responsibility.”

Attendee at FOC 2025