Sunday 7th December 2008, 4pm
at Rampart Social Centre, 15-17 Rampart Street, Whitechapel, E1 2LA

The Rampart collective would like to call out to everyone interested in the concept of Social Centres as spaces for the practicing and development of radical politics.

The Rampart has faced many challenges throughout its life. Through hard work and the generosity of its supporters (and a little luck!), it has survived for nearly 4 and half years. As with all projects, circumstances change and now the Rampart, frustrated from months of worries over a possible eviction, is going through some changes and seeks to reinvigorate not only the project itself but also the much valued London Social Centres scene.

Social Centres provide an important resource for activist groups in that they offer spaces within the city which function outside of the structures of the dominant culture and its conditional demands. As well as providing a safe, autonomous space for groups to come together, they can aid with fundraising and provide a platform for public interaction. In character with grassroots groups, Social Centres have the possibility to be diverse and imaginative in their forms and processes. In running a Social Centre, activists have a change to develop their own activism, communicate with similar groups and implement new ideas (as well as better establishing some old ones).

If you have ideas or are interested in learning how to contribute to and support London-based activism and radical politics by running a Social Centre, then you are very welcome to attend the open meeting we are organising for this Sunday 7th December.

Rampart itself is looking to gain more people for the collective and take on input in order to evolve as an established project but the meeting will, we hope, also encourage people to create their own projects and find out about and join with already existing ones.

Some questions for the meeting; How can activism in London be developed? How can a social centre do more to support activism and alternative politics in London? How can a social centre operate as a sustained long term project? What else can a social centre be?

Meet at 4pm on Sunday 7th December at Rampart Social Centre, 15-17 Rampart Street, Whitechapel, E1 2LA.

 rampart@mutualaid.org
 http://www.rampart.co.nr

The London Social Centres Network [SCN] is a grassroots network of occupied and legally owned social centres, infoshops, radical bookshops and independent community centres.
 http://londonscn.wordpress.com

What's This Place? Stories from Radical Social Centres in the UK & Ireland
Downloadable from  http://www.socialcentrestories.org.uk

Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_centre