3rd Futurological Symposium, Ruigoord, Amsterdam, July 19-27, 2013

3rd Futurological Symposium on
 "Free Cultural Spaces"
Ruigoord, Amsterdam, July 19-27, 2013

In 2013, Ruigoord celebrates its fortieth anniversary as a “Free Cultural Space.” The whole year through, manifestations will take place in honor of this wonderful fact. The climax, however, will be on the weeks before and after the 24th of July; the anniversary of the day the village was squatted. 
To commemorate this event we are planning a 3rd Futurological Symposium on “Free Cultural Spaces” from a global perspective.

Ruigoord has contacts with important free cultural spaces in Europe such as Christiania in Copenhagen, the UFA factory in Berlin, Doel ― near Antwerp in Belgium, and the Boom festival in Portugal. Ruigoord has opened an embassy in Christiania, a consulate in Doel, and has appointed an ambassador to the USA/Canada.
On top of this, Ruigoord is part of the Cultural Fortress (Stelling) of Amsterdam; a network of 30 free cultural spaces in and around Amsterdam.

The symposium will be a follow up to two earlier symposia concerning Free Cultural Spaces in the Netherlands that took place during our summer Landjuweel festivals in 2011 & 2012. Our purpose is to further exchange with the above mentioned communities, and to add form and content to a free circuit. In collaboration with the Cultural Fortress of Amsterdam, places for you to stay are being arranged. We therefore invite you to participate in our 3rd Futurological Symposium on Free Cultural Spaces in Ruigoord.

The symposium is prior to the presentation of the book Forty years Ruigoord and the following Landjuwel festival. Our goal is to co-create a dynamic, lasting, sustainable and non-hierarchical global network between free cultural spaces and festivals. During the 2nd symposium, such themes as connection, collaboration, and continuity stood central. This culminated in a booklet that we will be sending to you shortly.

We seek a number of speakers who are willing to approach the subject of the relevancy of Free Cultural Spaces from a global and a local perspective from different angles, or disciplines if you like (philosophy, futurology, entrepreneurism, politics), and we would like to involve you in the ensuing debates. The programme also envelops a discussion on what the possibilities are for collaboration on a national, European, and global level.

Could you let us know ASAP if you are interested? Would you like to put forward speakers, artists, musicians? We would be glad to hear from you.

On behalf of the symposium organizers, warm regards from:
Rudolph Stokvis, Hans Plomp, Aja Waalwijk, Ruth Bader, Michael Kamp, Peter van der Wel, Rita Brakel, Gerben Hellinga. 
If you reply, please also cc ruthbader@hotmail.com and symposium@ruigoord.nl

Upcoming dates:

* Friday 19 July – Monday 22 July ― 3rd Futurological Symposium Free Cultural Spaces & The opening of the Christiania Embassy in Ruigoord

* Wednesday 24th July ― Presentation Book 40th anniversary Ruigoord

* Friday 26 July up until Sunday 29th July ― Landjuweel festival