Australian Social Forum

 The ‘In the Hot-House’ festival combines the celebration of music, art, craft, dance, films and food with an exploration of the environmental and social challenges that exist in our own backyards and around the world.  Learn how to take action on climate change as some of the best of Melbourne’s environmental and community groups show you ‘What you can do’ and present alternatives perspectives on the crises facing us today.

Festival Launch

Friday 17th April, 6.30 pm - 9.30 pm Room 11.01 (11th Floor)

Victoria University City Campus, 300 Flinders St

The Festival opens with a public forum led by engaging and passionate speakers to open the mind, warm the spirit and give us hope of a better tomorrow with positive solutions to climate change. Entry $2

Forum Speakers include:

• Tanya Ha - Television presenter, environmentalist and successful green lifestyle writer
• David Spratt - Co-author of Climate Code Red, co-founder of Carbon Equity
• Kirsten Laursen - Victoria Eco Innovation Lab’s policy research manager
• Mosese Waqa - Pacific Islands Network

Vic Uni Location: Melways Map 43 H9,  Google Map & Parking.  Short walk from Flinders Street Station.

Weekend Festival

Saturday 18th April 10 am - 9 pm & Sunday 19th 10 am - 5.30 pm

CERES Community Environmental Park, Cnr Roberts & Stewart st, East Brunswick

The festival program continues at the picturesque and inspiring CERES Environmental Park. The program is busting at the seams and consists of art, music, workshops, food, drink, films, children’s entertainment and much more including the premiere performance collaborative performance project with two Moreland based schools, Voices of our Future.

Festival Highlights Include:

• Music from The Conch, Orkeztra Glasso Bashalde, Radiant City and more.
• Collaborative art projects across the site including Photography, Sculpture and Found Art with contributions from the ‘Outsiders Guide’, Sudeep, Ero, Peter Hutchinson and more coming
• ‘Voices of our Future’ schools drama performance
• Children’s Clown, face painting and kids workshops
• Food and drink from local and sustainable companies, including the infamous Good Brew beer bike
• Workshops on a wide variety of subjects from environmental issues, open source technology, radical craft, alternative thought, green renting, Slow living and activism. Run a workshop or see workshop schedule
• Community stalls to inform and educate. Apply for a stall or view confirmed stalls
• Film night showcasing short films on environmental and social issues (6.30pm, Sat 18th)

Tickets at gate: One day concession $5.00 / Full $10, Two days concession $10 / Full $15, Film night $2

CERES Location: Melways Map 30 B-7,  Google Map, Public Transport Tram 96 Bus 503 & bike, & Parking only at Cretan Brotherhood Car Park on cnr Stewart & Nicholson St.

Event Partners

The Melbourne Social Forum would like to thank the following event partners.

  For more information about the festival, contact us

The first Australian Social Forum Workshop will be probably April, in Melbourne and hosted by the Melbourne Social Forum.

Late in 2008 I was contacted by the goodly folks at the Melbourne Social Forum about being involved in a workshop in Melbourne on establishing an Australian Social Forum.. 

I imagine the workshop will involve members of the Melbourne Social Forum, and others, and will allow a open and broad discussion around the issues and action items.

Clearly the convergance of economic, financial, ecological and social crisis mean an Australian Social Forum would offer the disparate and fractured movement of movements a space for education and organising.

I will be in Melbourne from probably from March onwards.

I am studying Distance Education Environmental Science with Southern Cross University (Lismore) and possibly also the Permaculture APT program out of Nimbin. 

Its going to be a challenge orchestrating a number of different projects simultaneously.

Anyone who is interested in attending or feeding into this process, please contact me or the Melbourne Social Forum direct.

cheers

-N