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Welcome to HacktionLab
HacktionLab is a UK-European DIY collective of technologists, activists, social agitators, and generally interested people that helps create regular convergence spaces for collaboration and the exchange of ideas and experiences.
HacktionLab has been in existence since 2008 and has helped organise some twenty gatherings in multiple locations across the UK.
How does HacktionLab do this?
We are a volunteer and loosely-knit group of people based primarily in the UK but also in continental Europe and Ireland that gather to share the projects the individual members are involved in. We will bring our experience and our own content to where you are and support you in hosting a HacktionLab Gathering.
What is a HacktionLab Gathering?
A HacktionLab Gathering is a combination of a hacklab and an unconference (aka barcamp), where all attendees are part of the crew and are responsible for making it happen.
What does this mean? Here's some key features:
- It is a hacklab: in that making the event happen, setting up, packing down, deciding the agenda, helping with food, facilitation, and entertainment are all part of the event. Thus there is little to no clearly defined line between organiser, speaker, and attendee.
- It is an unconference: we gather workshop and talk proposals before the event, but then work out the schedule during the event itself in an organic way, juggling parallel sessions so that people are able to go to what they want.
- It is low-cost: We try to keep the cost as low as possible (the last gathering was £20). No-one who is directly involved gets paid, but we do cover expenses (such as food prep), space hire, and contributions to any other facilities we need to use during the event.
What kind of content can I expect?
Examples of common topics for HacktionLab Gathering are: alternative media, renewable energy, on-line video distribution, free software, information society and the impact of emergent technology, computing and logic, alternative technology, philosophy and political thought, alternatives to corporate social media platforms, any form of activism that utilises technology, and anything else where we can get together and plan how to better harness the technology (or not) to support grass roots social movements.
Technology is any human technology, so from storm-kettles and knot-work to large language models; slingshots to peer-to-peer networks, they are all game.
Where and when was the last HacktionLab Gathering?
The last HacktionLab Gathering was held in Sheffield in June 2023. See HacktionLab Summer 2023 for more information.
Where and when is the next HacktionLab Gathering?
This is to be decided. There are proposals for gatherings in for Bradford, and maybe Bristol or Bath. If you're interested in hosting one, read HOWTO Host A HacktionLab Gathering.
I'd like to host a HacktionLab Gathering. How do I do that?
Read through HOWTO Host A HacktionLab Gathering, and then get in touch via the mailing list.
How do I get involved in HacktionLab?
We don't have a formal organisation and there is therefore no form of actual membership. The best place to start getting involved is to either propose to host a HacktionLab Gathering, or join our Mailing List.