Wednesday July 9th, 6.30 for 7pm

“At its heart is a single, transformative idea: that rivers are not mere matter for human use, but living beings – who should be recognized as such in both imagination and law. Inspired by the activists, artists and lawmakers of the young ‘Rights of Nature’ movement, Macfarlane takes the reader on an exhilarating exploration of the past, present and futures of this ancient, urgent concept.

Is a River Alive? flows like water from the mountains to the sea, over three major journeys: The first is to northern Ecuador, where a miraculous cloud-forest and its rivers are threatened with destruction by gold-mining. The second is to the wounded rivers, creeks and lagoons of southern India, where a desperate battle to save the lives of these waterbodies is under way. The third is to north-eastern Quebec, where a spectacular wild river – the Mutehekau or Magpie – is being defended from death by damming in a river-rights campaign.

Braiding these journeys is the life story of the fragile chalk stream who rises a mile from Macfarlane’s house, and flows through his own years and days. Passionate, immersive and revelatory, Is a River Alive? is at once Macfarlane’s most personal and most political book to date. Lit throughout by other minds and voices, it invites us radically to reimagine not only rivers but also life itself.”

Thursday July 10th, 6.30 for 7pm

What is the relevance of the Rojava experiment to our own journeys in democracy, ecology and feminism?

Since 2012, the administration in North East Syria – Rojava – has been putting into practice a bold political experiment led by Kurds that aims to build power from the ground up. Often seen as a women’s revolution, it’s based on Democratic Confederalism, on power sharing between men and women and on ecological principles. Many socialists, anarchists and feminists from the west have been inspired by its achievements against all the odds.

We’ll hear from Rahila Gupta, who sees Rojava as the key site of resistance to the patriarchy, Natasha Walter who visited this year, and Jian Bakir, a PhD candidate from the region. We’ll discuss what we can learn from Rojava about how to build a new world in the ruins of the old – and how we can support this brave experiment at a current time of crisis.

Saturday July 12th, 6.30pm to 11pm

Please come and party with us before we start to wind down for the Summer.  There will be music from duo Rey Yusuf & Victoria Couper, stencil-making with Paris68 Redux, a Blackjack table, complimentary vegan supper, cocktails and dancing.

Rey’s credits include award-winning contemporary folk band Tell Tale Tusk, dream-folk band Something Sleeps and samba band Pocket Bloco). Victoria is a cappella trio Voice who’s sung with world-jazz ensemble Grand Union Orchestra and founded Joglaresa and Musica Secreta.

The pair, who met singing with Greek Epic-inspired band Daemonia Nymphe, have spent many years improvising and exploring together. They will be sharing their new collaboration, delving into folk, world, and early music, alongside their own compositions. Expect ukulele (you know you love it!), harpsicle (small lever harp, not strange new harp-shaped popsicle), percussion, and voices. Your participation will be welcomed and encouraged.

Blackjack, a development of the 18th century game Twenty-one, is the world’s most widely played casino banking game. It was first referenced by Miguel de Cervantes in a tale about the card cheats of Seville. Do familiarise yourself with the rules ahead of time if you’d like to improve your chances of winning. Chips won at the Blackjack table will be exchangeable for Kairos credits, drinks from the bar or tickets to future events.

We’ll also have Michael Collins here from Paris68 Redux who has created a stencil of our logo. This is a chance to make your own limited edition Kairos T-shirt, bag or patch. Bring a light-coloured tee, totebag or fabric, Michael will supply the ink and the knowhow.

Sunday July 13th, Drop-In 1pm-5pm

The books in our library contain a wealth of ideas from thinkers past and present. Together they add up to a radically new, emerging world-view.

Drop in and browse our growing collection or bring your own book to read, but please no laptops, kindles, smartphones or other electronic devices. You can view our catalogue on our Library page.

At 4pm we’ll have tea and cake and discuss what we’ve been reading.

Sunday July 20th, Drop-In 1pm-5pm

The books in our library contain a wealth of ideas from thinkers past and present. Together they add up to a radically new, emerging world-view.

Drop in and browse our growing collection or bring your own book to read, but please no laptops, kindles, smartphones or other electronic devices. You can view our catalogue on our Library page.

At 4pm we’ll have tea and cake and discuss what we’ve been reading.

Sunday September 14th, 4.30 for 4.45pm

Jem Bendell and Matthew Slater will host an interactive and fun exploration of why and how communities can reclaim their economic sovereignty as part of their efforts towards collapse preparedness. After two short talks, they will facilitate the participatory Trading Floor game, which will be followed by a discussion of the ideas that arise.

The Trading Floor game offers a dynamic, hands-on experience of how money systems shape behaviour. It sparks deep insight into cooperation, competition, scarcity, and abundance. Players learn by doing, gaining fresh perspectives on economics, value exchange, and community resilience in a playful and thought-provoking way.

Matthew and Jem will aim to show the benefits of any new mechanisms of exchange, including currencies, being held in the Commons. Matthew has decades of experience in software, training and guidance for communities to exchange goods and services without money. Jem has been researching and promoting such systems both before and during his work on societal collapse risk and response. Neither live in the UK so this is a rare opportunity.

Saturday October 25th, 9.30 to 4pm

“Town Anywhere ‘is an extraordinary exercise. It invites us to step into the future, to reimagine and rebuild the world, and to then inhabit it. One of the most magical things I’ve ever been part of. Give your imagination a treat!”  Rob Hopkins, Transition Network

Kairos is hosting Town Anywhere, a day-long, immersive and participatory experience, facilitated by artist Ruth Ben-Tovim and Lucy Neal, during which we’ll collectively imagine, build and inhabit a positive vision of the future.

Using future scenarios, large-scale model-making, group work and timed challenges, we’ll imagine and create a flourishing, resilient town ten years in the future, in which both humans and more-than-humans thrive. We’ll play and practice community visioning, ideation and storytelling in an imaginary, but tangible, environment, before returning to the present to harvest the learning.

In this new iteration of Town Anywhere, the concept of multi-species justice – a recognition that humans must work with and alongside the more-than-human in empathetic relationship – will be core.

Every Friday, 6.30-11pm
Friday Drinks
Our weekly open bar night. Free entry with a pay bar serving drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and vegan food. There may be some entertainment.

Sundays, 12-5pm (dependent on volunteers, check main listings for confirmation)
Sunday Reading Room
A chance to come and browse our books or bring your own (but please no laptops, kindles, smartphones or other electronic devices.) For Sunday Reading Room to become a weekly fixture it will rely on volunteers to supervise the space. If you’d like to get involved join the WhatsApp group here or email events@kairos.london.

Fridays, 10am-5pm
Community Day
We’re now opening our doors on Fridays for aligned groups needing a place to meet. This is non-exclusive, daytime use of our space for brainstorms and strategy meetings, book group discussions and other creative get-togethers. Only by arrangement. Email events@kairos.london.

The Second Wednesday of Every Month
Book Club
Look out for listings on this page, or email events@kairos.london if you’d like to join the Book Club WhatsApp group.

The First Tuesday of Every Other Month
Open Projects Night
Our regular open mike night, where we’ll learn about each others projects, build connections and offer each other support. Look out for listings on this page or email events@kairos.london with details of the project you’d like to share.