Hopeful Futures, Inverness

A collaboration with Kirsten Body, Circus Artspace

In today’s world, there’s every reason to feel hopeless. We are living through a time of crisis, where doom dominates the headlines and unimaginable suffering unfolds before our eyes. Politics feels broken, out of touch, and unable to address critical issues like poverty, injustice, and environmental destruction. The system seems rigged, resistant to change.

Overwhelming feelings of grief, despair, and fear are crushing our ability to imagine a better future. Hopelessness is stifling our motivation to act.

Yet, if we shift our gaze, we will see a growing wave of people across the country—and around the world—who are actively building more hopeful futures. Community gardens, mutual aid groups, cooperatives of all kinds, solidarity networks, creative collectives, repair cafés, tool libraries, nature restoration projects—these are just a few examples. We can cultivate a root system of alternatives—both big and small—and reclaim a sense of possibility.

Hopeful Futures will be a weekend public gathering that seeks to make visible and celebrate hopeful initiatives across the Highlands. We will offer talks, info, discussions and workshops, asking, How do we plant the seeds of hope, possibility, and solidarity in our communities? How can we support each other to gather and cultivate conviviality? What is in our power?  A community meal will be the centrepiece, with local food and music for all to enjoy.