Thanks to our Co-Creators!
The Networks Festival was a highly collaborative effort. We are extraordinarily grateful to the fantastic efforts of our 90+ co-hosts and storytellers, 15+ disseminators, and of course the indispensable team of co-creators.
What is the Networks Festival?
Across the entire month of May, thousands of people from around the world came together both online and offline to deepen our understanding of how we leverage relationships to transform our world – and practice doing it together.
The networks festival was a mixture of exhibitions, interactive workshops, local field trips, and collaborative games all about how we amplify social change through networks.
With network leaders, funders, governments, and changemakers, we shared cutting-edge strategies and tools, amplified stories demonstrating network's extraordinary power to achieve social change, and fostered new connections to nourish longer-term exchange and collaboration.
Why a Networks Festival?
1
1000's of networks around the globe are driving deep, systemic change
Every day, we experience their impacts across governments, companies, civil society, and academia.
2
There is an incredible wealth of experience on how networks can (and do) change our world
The impact networks field has made great strides – and there are a plethora of tools and approaches to support this work.
3
But the vast majority of networks are underfunded, disconnected & misunderstood
Stories remain untold. Tools and techniques are not commonly known. And funding remains scarce.
The networks festival leverages our deep trove of knowledge and experience to strengthen practice, increase much-needed funding and support, foster new cross-network collaborations for systemic change.
Who is the Festival For?
Anyone curious about how we can amplify collaborative innovation through movements, cooperatives, networks, and community-action groups, including:
Leaders & Coordinators
of movements, networks & cooperatives looking to mature their change strategies
Funders & Governments
seeking to spark and scale systemic change change around the globe
Curious Changemakers
eager to leverage relationships for deep social change
2023 Theme: PLAY
In our experience, some of the most meaningful social change happens when people have fun together.
Networks can be exciting and engaging places. When done right, they can bring joy, passion, and deep meaning – and provide space for comfort and connection.
The Network's Festival 2023 theme focused on “play” – a theme of discovery, joy, and connection.
By centering play, we hope to spark curiosity, creatively imagine new ways of living, and deepen connections – while celebrating the tangible benefits of collaborating in networks.
Agenda!
Aross May & June 2023
There is so much richness – choose your events carefully! Each link will redirect you to individual registration for that event.
Event Types
hands-on techniques learning, like network mapping, impact measurement & collective decision-making
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Workshops
Zone
movements, networks & funders who don’t know each other find collective solutions across common fields — like education, environment, or migration
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Obstacle Courses
funders explore key themes around supporting networks, and help network leaders strengthen their fundraising strategies
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Pitch
Tent
interactive displays of cutting-edge technology to support networks and relations-based change
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Tech
Corner
intimate conversations around how we can reframe our work and approaches to change
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Bonfire Circles
weekly pauses for individual and collective care
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Wellbeing Lounge
Filter by type, or browse all below!
More events are being added as we speak – check back soon!
Co-Created by a Mini-Network!
Ever in spirit of collaboration, this festival has been co-developed by a diverse team collectively bringing decades of experience in network weaving, collective leadership, and systems change – and together reaching over 100,000 people and communities worldwide.
