30/08/2009

New Poster Download



This is the new poster for the Social centre. Download a copy here.

28/08/2009

Well wishes from Berlin!

hi there!
what a pity that the social centre wasn't open when we were
visiting...!(22nd august) i would have loved to see this new free space
in progress.
well we had a good night at the 13th note...
we wish you all the best,
in solidarity
kyra and benny from berlin

25/08/2009

Get Involved!

Working Groups

Below are the breakdowns of who is involved in the seperate working groups. If you would like to add you name to one of these contact dan888glass[at]googlemail.com

Working Groups


(1) Organising and building the physical space
Nic
Fatima
Leire
Jose
Jonny
Thomas
(2) Publicity and Events
Omar
Pearse
Leire
Thomas
Nic
Fatima
dan
(3) Fundraising and finance
Lee
Juliana
Jonny
(4) Internal Workings (constitution, bank, communications, website)
Lance
Omar
Jonny

20/08/2009

Drop In Tuesday Meeting Notes

> In attendance:
> Alice, Karen, Leigh, Mark, Chris, Thomas> Ideas/notes:
>
> Weekly high tea.
> Big events calender
> Central resource where people see what's going on.
> Films, workshops, different groups.
> Meeting place. Facilitate things to do.
> Library.
> Day of the dead fundraiser 2nd November (Mark)
> Like a Mexican Halloween. Mexican relatives.
> Ongoing freeshop.
> Massive space.
> Desk with computer.
> Book shelves.
> Internet access previously downstairs.
> Upstairs communal?
> Create a partitioned area downstairs for little offices?
> Previously had success with running club/rave/dances things, with access
> through the side door.
> Profits on the bar. Can get 150 people downstairs, perhaps more.
> Red stripe available for £4.99 for 4/6 cans? if you have cash carry card.
> Charge £2 tin to raise funds.
> Research Club at Glasgow Uni had access to cash carry.
> D.J. Bar.
> Club lights/stands.
> Materials. Lots of different venues in area doing similar thing. Find
> unique selling point.
> Interest may wave, if dont constantly innovate./refreshen the place
> after the early days/.
> Try and synchronise events, so that if you have a club/rave fundraiser,
> you'll have had another event
> upstairs earlier on, so that you have a ready-made audience/attendees
> Build on activity.
> Have a 'paint party'.
> Open all day Saturday and Sunday.
> Set up the centre legally as a trust, and not an association (chris)
> Don't try to direct the direction of the social centre.
> Generate sense of ownership by allowing groups to determine direction.
> Engender loyalty
> Possible venues.
> Rooms in houses sought for visitors for Festival of diy culture. Get
> this space on the list/website as a venue.
> Either offer space as a venue or put on an event for the fest of diy
> culture.
> Stilt walking workshops
> Height of space good.
> Gives advantages.
> Clowning workshops
> Circus skills.
> Give space for a local grafitee artist
> White emulsion and beers.
> Need to know in writing no monetary debt/accruing re rent for space.
> Audit the items in the space, so you know what belongs to the
> building/GARA/, so it doesn't get mixed up with all the items that
> belong to the Social Centre, that may be moved to a new site once lease
> runs out.
> Business plan. Put to council, resurrect.
> East end regeneration like things that are visual.
> Recapture the momentum of previous plans.
> Zapatastias meetings in November would like to meet there.
> Glasgow Anarchist federations would like to meet there./
> Need to get more keys and widen key access.
> Get in process of putting on a programme
> Invite people to contribute.
> Grafiti on flyboards better as movable.
> When the space was carnibal arts they put on fashion shows. these are
> wot the big boxes are hidden downstairs in a side alcove, the stage.
> advantages, to having place looking a bit rough and ready.
> freecycle, freeshare, puit wants list on there,.
> fire exits need sorted out.
> what is g going to contribute towards painting.
> when will fire extinguishers be provided,#
> legal context. sub-let?

19/08/2009

Meetin Minutes - Monday 17th August 09

Social Centre meeting minutes 17/08/2009

Agenda:
Go around and name games
Update on the social centre and how we got to where we are.
How we got the space and who it belongs to.
Dan’s message
What has been done.
What still needs done/what do we need.
Funding
Working groups, what to talk about next week.

1. Go around – we had Juliana, Tilly, Omar, Connie, Thomas, Michael, Sam, Dan, Gordy, Johnny, Mila (sorry if I missed you!)

2. Update – lots of this can be found in older records on the website. Basically we have been going since last December trying to work out how to start a social centre from scratch. Some momentum was lost but now we have a space so let’s use it!

3. The Space – we have been given the space on Osborne street on temporary loan by the African and Caribbean Network whilst they wait for full funding to completely fit the place. Now we just need to make it look nice and get folk in it!

4. Dan’s message from Leeds social centre and the melting pot in Edinburgh: their advise was two main things to bear in mind: 1) our ideals 2) hard core infrastructure. Claire who sorted the melting pot is going to come on September the 2nd.

5. What has been done; painted walls and surfaces white, floors cleaned and painted, junk cleared out, bathrooms cleaned.
The electricity works although only plugs nearest the front working and there are very few lights downstairs. The water boiler seems to be working.
Lance is going to go in and check out the plumbing and electricity.

6. What still needs done: strip old paint of walls and roof, clean downstairs, sort out plumbing and electricity, paint floor downstairs, check for asbesdos.

7. What do we need:
The tat list is in the centre, so I can’t quite remember but the main things are:
- furniture, especially couches
- paint
- curtains
- books, magazines
- tool box and tools
- tape, blue tack.
- phone
- Also: bank account, timeline.
We need to work out how folk can phone a number when they see a good item to get it picked up. The idea was to get a phone and that person can be called.
We need to make sure that there’s a good legal document – Pearse is on this (?).
Check out health and safety.
A trip to the landfill was suggested to get loads of stuff.

If anyone is on freecycle then please look out for furniture we need.
Contact other centres including Pearse Institute and Ruckhill Centre.

8. Funding: we need a funding group to work out what avenues there are. There is a funding book to write in when money goes in/out.

9. Working groups: We decided for the initial stages there should be 4 working groups:
1. Building (including tat, decorating etc.)
2. Publicity
3. Funding
4. Constitution/group workings etc.

To talk about next week: workings of the centre initially - how often is it open, roles for people, security - we'll create a list on the blog for next week.

Action points to be done:

Juliana – timeline, freecycle and sofas, posters in window.
Tilly – decoration & painting, constitution.
Omar – constitution.
Connie – to decide later.
Thomas – building, fundraising, equipment.
Michael – finance, funding, Unity centre, possibly constitution.
Sam – funding, decoration, kitchen, speak to his Mum.
Dan – consolidating advice and put in newsletter.
Gordy – publicity, constitution.
Johnny – asbesdos, building, information/publicity.

Next meeting Monday 24th August 7pm.

15/08/2009

The Big Meet

Meeting to talk about what we should do with the space.

Due to popular demand, there's going to be a meeting on Monday and then a wee one on Tuesday for those who can't make Monday or don't find out in time that there is one on Monday. This may seem like a bit of hassle, but it's the only way we can get everyone on board.

Monday 17th August 7.00pm bring food for pot luck and some dancing shoes!
Next day Tuesday 7pm also.

Location 66 Osborne Streets MAP

See You there

12/08/2009

Canvas making and painting workshop tomorrow

Canvas making and painting workshop
Thrusday 13th August from 6.30pm
Glasgow Social Centre Space Osborne Street

What to bring: white material/sheets, paint and brushes, stapler or staple gun.
Don't worry if you don't have any of these, I'll try and source some of them/

- Johnny

11/08/2009

Clean Up

Very exciting times as the new space takes shape. Still plenty of work and decoration to come. Get involved. Email me.

05/08/2009

Volunteers Wanted

We are currently trying to gather as many people as possible to volunteer to help out with the renovation of a proposed space on Osborne Street.

If anyone can come along and donate a couple of hours to help us bring a social centre to life, this weekend (8th/9th August), then please email me.

Cheers much

P