Crimethinc Call for Workshops

If you are planning on performing or presenting this summer’s CrimethInc. convergence, please send in a brief description of what you’ll be doing to crimethincbooking@yahoo.com.

We encourage everyone to see the CrimethInc. convergence as a space to try out ideas that would never see the light in any other context. This is a chance to risk everything, to debut brand new formats with your knees knocking together in terror! Don’t just drone through the old standards—challenge yourself and others! Draw on your passions and anomalous interests to offer your comrades points of departure they would never come across anywhere else, including in other anarchist circles. If your two true loves are lobsters and William Blake, put on a puppet show: Songs of Experience as Interpreted by Creatures of the Deep! If you’re quite comfortable discussing post-structuralist theory, try something you’ve never done before—put on a burlesque show, or do the research for a presentation on the history of anti-state responses to domestic violence, or volunteer at the childcare station all week! If we are careful and conservative in spaces like this that belong to us, we’re bound to stay careful and conservation in the rest of our lives, too. GO FOR IT!

Here are a few examples of this year’s workshops and performances…

Publishing A Small Periodical Newspaper
A comprehensive crash-course in the production of a community newspaper: learn how you and 3 or 4 friends can publish a small-scale newspaper or community journal! Covers outreach-writing methodology, theme-selection, presentation, and distribution. This workshop covers the nuts and bolts of newspaper projects; the “Small Town Organizing” workshop functions well as a complement.

Small Town Organizing for Anarchists
Do you feel stuck—like you’re running in place—in a small town? Come share your experience and hear insight from our work in the field: this workshop offers a walking tour through strategic models for mutual-aid outreach, DIY-community building, public relations, literature distribution, broader network health, and morale boosting. We’ll also tackle such obstacles as poor social dynamics within small-town DIY communities, practical consensus for beginners, and how small and well-known anarchist cells can avoid being singled out as criminals.

Designing Posters and Other Propaganda
This workshop isn’t for designers only; rather, we’ll take a look at conventional anarchist design methods and style and analyze their effectiveness in communicating meaning. In addition to theory, this workshop includes some basic tutorials for both old (cut & paste) and new (digital design) schools, and offers some useful instances for both. This workshop emphasizes utilizing equipment and resources that are freely accessible to most people.

Storytelling Revisited
Security Culture meets Resistance Mythology in this dynamic workshop of storytelling and storytelling about storytelling. Learn about the elements and sequence of a good story, about the fascinating characteristics of compelling characters, enjoy irony and satire in their natural habitat, and consider how to escape moralism and encourage appreciation for good stories at the same time. Learn how to utilize these ingredients to talk your way across a border or into a building; learn how good storytelling—and listening—skills can protect participants in direct actions and simultaneously nurture momentum for resistance.

Direct Action Planning: Mock Spokescouncil
In this exercise, participants will break into affinity groups to plan a mock action via the spokescouncil model. Excellent practice for publicly coordinated actions that demand layers of privacy within and between groups.

Direct Action Role-Playing: Staying Safe in the Streets
This workshop offers real-time, real-space experience for groups to move securely together in stressful situations, to protect themselves against attacks, avoid being boxed in, stay aware in changing environments, and achieve objectives.

Performer: Testament
I am not a rapper, I am just a revolutionary who raps good. I’m taking hip-hop back to its revolutionary roots and spreading dissent through the powerful, thought-provoking rhymes. I’m here to save hip-hop from the glorified violence, materialism, sexism, and racism that the music industry creates, promotes, and markets for their own capitalist purposes. The revolution will not be signed to a record deal.

Via Crimethinc

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