Join Our Free Community Events: Creativity, Mindfulness & Nature Await!
Discover a world of creativity, mindfulness, and eco-friendly learning with our free upcoming workshops. Whether you’re looking to relax, connect with nature, or explore your artistic side, there’s something for everyone. Our free workshops are here to inspire and empower you! Enjoy hands-on eco-arts activities like gardening (no garden needed!), getting a bit creative and learning about the history of the craft, or tackling eco-anxiety with arts in the swamp!
These family-friendly events are perfect for all ages and backgrounds. Places are limited, so book your spot today and share the joy with friends and family!
Join Our Free Community Events: Creativity, Mindfulness & Nature Await!
Discover a world of creativity, mindfulness, and eco-friendly learning with our free upcoming workshops. Whether you’re looking to relax, connect with nature, or explore your artistic side, there’s something for everyone. Our free workshops are here to inspire and empower you! Enjoy hands-on eco-arts activities like gardening (no garden needed!), getting a bit creative and learning about the history of the craft, or tackling eco-anxiety with arts in the swamp!
These family-friendly events are perfect for all ages and backgrounds. Places are limited, so book your spot today and share the joy with friends and family!
Wetlands are crucial for water security. Less than 1% of Earth’s freshwater is usable and most of that is contained in wetlands, including about a third in rivers and lakes. The silt-rich soil and abundant plant vegetation of wetlands act like water filters, absorbing harmful toxins, agricultural pesticides and industrial waste.
Wetlands are grievously affected by plastic pollution, with more than 800 marine and coastal species affected by this pollution. Rivers and other wetlands are not only places that plastic waste flows through, they also are places where long-term deposits settle.
Wetlands and human life are interconnected, with people drawing sustenance, inspiration and resilience from these life-sustaining and sacred ecosystems. The state of our planet’s wetlands is deeply concerning for youth around the world. And a great sense of urgency is felt. Intergenerational dialogue on the wise use and conservation of these vulnerable ecosystems is critical to our shared future.
From prehistoric times, many hundreds of generations of people have settled in and around wetlands, often transforming their wetlands into cultural landscapes in which natural and human-made elements are uniquely combined. Cultural knowledge of wetlands constitutes a collective legacy for today’s societies. Across cultures, wetlands are seen as cultural landscapes embedded in identity, art and spirituality. Many communities consider wetlands sacred, home to ancestral spirits or ceremonial sites. Songs, dances, festivals and oral traditions often center on wetland life and cycles.
The profound and rapid social and economic transformations of recent decades have increasingly threatened the effective preservation of the cultural heritage typical of wetlands in many parts of the world.
As part of our commitment to raising awareness of the importance of wetlands, we are running two Welcome to the Swamp workshops, you can sign up below!
Welcome to the Swamp Workshop – Immersive Somatic Workshop for Ecoanxiety
Stammer Wellbeing Gardens, 2pm – 4pm, 14th March and 7th April
Welcome to the Swamp is a project that explores understanding ourselves as biodiverse beings in transition through artistic practices. By doing so, it aims to counter apathy and feelings of disempowerment, foster a connection to our environment and climate, and build understanding of the importance of biodiversity. This is an intergenerational space, but all children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
We’ll be working with consideration for our feelings and relationships in an ever-changing climate. In a time of climate crisis and anxiety, we will work through somatic practice to connect with the swamp, expressing ourselves with natural paints and giant grasses, an exploratory and grounding artistic adventure, aided by meditation and soundscape to journey us through our swamp experience. through our feelings on the climate crisis in a session working on the idea of the swamp. We’ll work with natural paints as we discuss climate issues in an inter-generational space of reflection and care. A perfect tonic for activist burn-out, a chance to learning more and meet new people!
Materials
We will use natural paints, all made from foraged materials. Some of these will be made in advance, and you will have the option to add to or make them on the day. We will be showing/explaining different ways of making these traditional natural paints, one of which includes the use of egg whites, which will have been sourced from local (to us!) Sussex free-range hens to thicken the paints, and others will involve using purely plant-based sources. The contents of the paints will be clearly labelled and explained, so you can choose which to use.
Abstract for the conference Failed Again – The Fault Lines in Utopia Newcastle University – part of the Fail Again, Fail Better? Recuperating Failure in Utopian Politics and Research Project
Weaving Failure into the Utopian Fabric – Artistic Engagements within Creative Care Café Structures
This paper addressed the question: “…what if failure was intentionally built into the fabric of utopia, if ‘fault-lines’ were purposefully incorporated to promote reflection, revisions and renewal?” Expanding on the paper given at the Edinburgh event in April, this paper focuses on the use of creative methods in the Brighton (UK) based funded Creative Climate Cafes project and Menopause and Mind projects. It will offer visual case studies of these two projects which use arts within the traditional conversational care café structures. They utilise the transformative potential of creativity to incite the utopian impulse within participants in the “darkness of the lived moment”.
The initial paper at the Edinburgh Conference has set up café spaces such as this (and others that such cafes have grown from such as grief and death cafes) as spaces of anticipatory failure. In a sense these café spaces are also Microutopias (events and projects that are small, planned resistances and social experiments) which set out to embed and identify failure as part of the action and being within their spaces. There is a focus on finding ways to live with the crisis as well as finding ways to combat it. It is possible to view these café spaces as heterotopias where the normal rules operate differently. Here we are seeing human failings as a necessary and inherent part of life that we have to ‘be with’ rather than escaping or resolving our failure.
Both projects have anticipated failure in their inception, it is at the heart of their being as they have started with the faults. Given the prevalence of failure within our species being, we can see the spaces as representative of different structures of failure. The Creative Climate Cafes tackle climate crisis, a result of concurrent and collective failures under a patriarchal and capitalist system which is destroying our lived environment. The Menopause and Mind cafes tackle the failures of which menopause related mental health struggles to be adequately supported, and the medicalised construct of failure of menopause where there are persistent narratives of the failure of the body and mind and the perceived end of ‘usefulness’ of the feminised body, despite the critique of these narratives within the spaces.
In these spaces hope can be reconfigured by grief. This applies whether it is for our loss of our lived environment and each other, or for the multifaceted loss of self (socially constructed or as part of a transformational process) that can accompany menopause. These café sessions are structured so people can explore their thoughts and feelings through the artistic forms, not just discussion, bringing forth unconscious as well as conscious thoughts and feelings. Using simple and accessible creative activities such as collage, expressive painting or use of clay or inks there is an exploration and expression of feelings bringing to the surface what is hidden and allowing for world-building in the cracks of our society. Weaving failure into the fabric of the utopia, the images and artistic creations from these sessions are both hopeful and critical, allowing for expression of failure and also new hopeful structures to be emergent from the chaos.
Workshop Images (2023) – Menopause and Mind – Collage/Painting/Clay
Thanks to renewed funding announced this week Magnetic Ideals looks forward to announcing a forthcoming programme of free training and skills sessions to develop new skills and help build community through creativity and confidence-building. Will be offering courses that focus on coaching you to get back on track with work and life, learning new creative skills, putting on community events and promoting wellbeing through engaging with nature and the arts. We would like to say a huge thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund for their ongoing support of this project!
The programme is here to help you Reconnect with your life and purpose, and we look forward to sharing this journey with you! Follow our Eventbrite booking online here to hear about upcoming events this summer. We will be running these sessions with experienced facilitators from our own network and our partners such as Arts for Life. Sessions will be running at the Cornerstone Community Centre in Hove, as well as at Rockets Studio.
Our sessions will be free, inclusive and welcoming, with food, warm drinks, and a chance to chat and make new connections. The venue is accessible, and we encourage any participants with specific needs around accessibility, whether relating to physical needs, neurodiversity or emotional needs to let us know so we can make sure you enjoy and feel comfortable in our sessions.
Full details will be available soon, but if you want to know more about the programme, please email programme lead heather@magneticideals.org to be added to our mailing list!
Magnetic Ideals member Alex Paterson is running a five week baby massage course for on £20 at the Cornerstone from June 6th – July 4th. Please share with anyone you think would be interested, the full details are below!
When: 5 weekly sessions on Fridays, June 6th – July 4th
Time: 9:30-11:00 AM
Where: Corner Stone Community Centre, Hove
Perfect For: Babies from birth to 9 months (ideal for pre-crawlers!)
Fee: Just £20 for all 5 sessions Note: This fee simply covers room hire – the course is offered free as part of my instructor accreditation
What Makes This Course Special
Over these 5 weeks, you’ll learn a complete baby massage routine approved by the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM). We’ll explore specialised techniques to soothe tummy discomfort and support your baby’s development. Baby massage isn’t just about touch – it’s about creating nurturing moments of connection with your little one.
My Passion
As an IAIM trained Infant Massage Instructor and experienced Early Years Teacher, I’m truly passionate about sharing these skills with parents (Whether you are a Mum, Mama, Daddy, Papa, Ren or something else entirely). Every touch is an opportunity to bond, to communicate, and to support your baby’s wellbeing.
What You Need to Know
The venue has lift access and space for buggies
Please bring a towel or blanket from home for your baby’s comfort
Massage oils will be provided
This is an inclusive space welcoming all families
A Warm Invitation
Places are limited, so don’t miss out on this special opportunity to learn, connect, and grow with your baby.
Book now and embark on this beautiful journey of touch and connection.
Magnetic Ideals is a community organisation providing training, research and networking for organisations working for community interest and social sustainability. We run and support creative projects bringing communities together to create positive social change. This year (2024 – 2025) Magnetic Ideals will be focusing its annual research project on working with Quiet Down There as our research partners.
Quiet Down There runs Harriet’s Press in the Old Market, offering laundry service, a hot drink, and a creative activity for those struggling with hygiene poverty. While people wait, they work 1-2-1 and in small groups on creative activities, with the aim of supporting the formation of a creative identity. Creativity is a lifelong tool for supporting good mental health.
At present, we are project planning and examining a combination of interviews and case studies. We are developing resources and pairing them with some of the artists in our network, supporting them to enhance their arts provision programme.
Image – Chris Kuzmicki presenting at Sonic Rebellions II (2024)
We are very excited to take on Chris Kuzmicki as a Social Researcher for the coming year at Magnetic Ideals! Since its inception, Chris has been involved in Magnetic Ideals, co-chairing our board and co-writing our constitution. He has consulted on numerous projects for us, including research for developing an accredited volunteering programme at Durham University Students’ Union, with The Student Engagement Partnership and the QAA, looking at student engagement in internal quality processes, and more recently, providing Advance HE away day facilitation.
Chris Kuzmicki brings a wealth of unique skills and experiences to our team. His background in research, including qualitative and quantitative data analysis, survey coding, and interview and focus group transcription, is impressive. His extensive work in the public sector and higher education, along with his recent contributions at the University of Brighton, where he conducted research on graduate career opportunities and built relationships with SMEs and the community sector, is a testament to his capabilities. His nine years at the University of Brighton, which included roles at STEM Sussex and Brighton Students’ Union, further demonstrate his diverse skill set.
His academic background includes an MA in critical and cultural theory and an award-winning BA (Hons) in Music. He will present at the upcoming Sonic Rebellions conference in Brighton, where he will speak about music technology and social justice. He is also a fixture of the local Brighton music scene as a musician, sound engineer, and DIY promoter. It will be worth keeping an eye out for his workshops as part of our Reconnect Skills Share projects later this year.
Chris will be joining us full-time to lead our open-access community research project. His expertise and leadership will bring a new level of innovation and success to this initiative. We are thrilled to announce that we will be launching our call for community partners and you can find out more information here!
Magnetic Ideals are a small community organisation working on projects that bring about positive social change. We have a dedicated research team that can help you gather useful data and transform it into insightful reports. As a not-for-profit group, we understand the challenges and budget constraints faced in this sector. We can work with you to find cost-effective ways to help you achieve your goals. For example, we can support you with funding bids for research projects or finding partners with shared research goals to ensure cost-saving.
Our services encompass a wide range of research methodologies, including but not limited to:
Interviews: We can conduct in-depth interviews with stakeholders, beneficiaries, and community members to gather first-hand insights.
Focus Groups: Our experienced facilitators can organise and moderate focus group sessions, ensuring rich qualitative data.
Surveys: We design and administer questionnaires, helping you collect quantitative data and opinions from your target audience.
Action Research: We can work closely with your team to plan, implement, and evaluate action research projects to drive positive change while doing workshops or activities that move you forward.
Case Studies: We excel in creating compelling case studies that showcase your organization’s impact and success stories.
Desk-Based Research: Our researchers can conduct thorough desk-based research, compiling relevant data and literature to support your projects.
Writing up and analysis of existing data: We can work with your existing data sets to find trends, help you highlight achievements or understand your service-user needs.
Away Day Research: Run fun and creative away days that help you gather information, understand your organisational needs, while promoting staff communication and cohesion.
Researcher Training: Upskill your staff so that you can build the research capacity of your organisation internally.
Working with Magnetic Ideals you can expect the following benefits:
Affordability: We understand the budget constraints of small organisations, and our pricing is designed to be reasonable and transparent.
Customized Solutions: We tailor our approach to meet your specific research objectives and organisational goals.
Professional Expertise: Our team comprises experienced researchers and writers who are dedicated to delivering high-quality reports.
Timely Delivery: We are committed to meeting deadlines and ensuring you have the information you need when you need it.
Actionable Insights: Our reports provide you with actionable insights to make informed decisions and demonstrate your impact to donors and stakeholders.
Previous research projects include working with EASA, mapping resistance to precarious work practices (interviews, case studies, desk-based research), supporting student-led research into housing for Sussex Students’ Union (training, report-writing), away day facilitation and write-up for Advance HE and service-user surveys for Menopause and Mind.
If you’re interested in working with us, we’d be happy to hear about your project however big or small! Please reply to this email or get in touch with info@magneticideals.org to schedule a free consultation, include if you can a rough outline of the project you are planning and any budget constraints and funding ambitions. We’re a friendly group and are keen to work with you, not just for you.
