MERZ MEND*RS: 1st MENDing Research Society symposium (29th June-2nd July, Lake District – UK)

IMPORTANT DATES

• April 27: submissions due
• May 8: participants notified
• May 21: final programme announced
• June 29 – July 2: MEND*RS 1st Mending Research Symposium

MERZ MEND*RS is a Mending Research Symposium at the Merzbarn in the Lake District, the first ever large-scale gathering dedicated to mending in the UK. MERZ MEND*RS is the first in a series of events, publications and activist projects around mending. Its objective is to map the state of the art, devise a critical agenda for mending research and to disseminate and promote mending practices and enterprises on a local, national and ultimately global level.

This informal, hands-on event will bring together mending practitioners, theorists, entrepreneurs and activists in the inspirational and germane setting of Kurt Schwitters’ Merzbarn. MEND*RS is an activist project to promote practices and discourses of mending within and beyond the academic establishment. Its aim is to maximise the social impact of mending research and to reinvigorate mending cultures in everyday life. MEND*RS’ aim is to build a mending network to unite practitioners of a marginal, disparate, often domestic activity with designers, craftspeople, small businesses, social enterprises, environmental and social wellbeing groups, local residents and researchers operating across diverse disciplines.

The Inaugural MEND*RS Workshop will be a combination of discussion and activities.  In order to engage with both scholars and practitioners of mending, we are issuing a call for participation.  We invite applications from anyone keen to participate in discussion, hands-on activities and the promotion of the MEND*RS network.

Submissions may take the form of a traditional academic paper, an interactive presentation, a position paper, a short film, a poster, or other innovative forms of presentation such as art or audio installation. Oral/film presentations will be allotted a maximum of 20 minutes.  Submissions may come from any academic discipline or professional background – our only stipulation is that the content should directly engage with the aims of MEND*RS and the aspirations of the MEND*RS manifesto.  Some suggested topics/themes can be found on the MEND*RS website under ‘Call for Participation’.

More info at http://mendrs.net/