Water is Kin Weekend

“The Earth is something we all have in common.” - Wendell Berry

Coinciding with Birmingham Water Fest, the Water is Kin weekend brings together the best of the Floating Front Room and Site As A Classroom with walkshops and sessions celebrating water as critical neighbourhood infrastructure as well as introducing how we're starting to tangibly reimagine regenerative water systems across the Neighbourhood Public Square site.

The Birmingham Water Fest weekend, now an annual event that started in 2024 will be taking place on the canal at Port Loop (as well as other sites across Birmingham over the weekend). Organised by Andy Train and Stassi Chilas, Birmingham Water Fest brings together friendly competition in the form of bell-boat racing that anyone can enter, alongside celebrations of our neighbourhood's green and blue infrastructure. Last year, over 1000 people participated in Water Fest across 8 locations in Birmingham. The Port Loop leg will be hosted by the Saheli Hub, you can register your interest to join the bell boat race here. Beyond the bell-boat racing, there will also be an open opportunity to try paddle based activities, such as kayaking.

This year we're opening the Floating Front Room across the weekend, inviting neighbours near and far to explore the social and ecological value of our local water systems within the wider climate, social and ecological challenges that we face.

We ask:

Where are the futures that we want to see already here in our homes, streets and neighbourhoods?

What more can we do together to open up bold, imaginative, distributed futures for all of our neighbours, near and far?

Join us as we celebrate this very precious resource - one that is often taken for granted and one that needs to be preserved and protected as we move closer to more precarious climate futures.

-

ACTIVITIES

You can expect...

• the Floating Front Room
• Intergenerational workshops
• Bellboating
• Canal walks
• Site Tours
• + more

Please note, the sessions and activities will not be suitable for children under the age of 7 and only 11+ will be able to be in the Courtyard and Polytunnel.

ABOUT THE SITE

The Water is Kin weekend will take place at the Floating Front Room, the canalside, South Loop Park as well as in and around the polytunnel on the Neighbourhood Public Square site.

Whilst the park is open to all ages, as we prepare to begin the construction of Neighbourhood Public Square together, we are very committed and excited to keep the site as open as possible. In order to make this work, we invite you to adopt new postures together with us and adhere to some important principles for taking care and keeping each other safe on site.

• Please note all activity on site is only open to adults and children aged 11+
• When on site children aged under 16 must always be accompanied by an adult
• Closed toed shoes or boots must be worn in the Courtyard and polytunnel areas
• Hi vis vests will be provided when you come into the Courtyard and poltunnel and we ask that you keep these on at all times whilst you are in these areas. Other safety equipment will be provided for specific workshops as and when required
• The ground is uneven in places, please navigate carefully and look out for each other
• Please note, no food or uncovered drinks should be consumed inside the polytunnel
• Please do not go beyond the designated areas, indicated by heras fencing and floor markings
• Please listen and respect any care guidance shared by our team and practitioners on site, for whom your safety if their number one priority
• An accessible toilet will be available off site on Rotton Park Street

If further information would support your visit, please email us at info@civicsquare.cc. You can also let us know about any specific access requirements you may have during the sign up process, and where possible we will of course seek to meet these, whilst also being honest about the limitations of the current infrastructure where needed to ensure you have any information you may need before attending.

We thank you for your understanding and collaboration whilst we hold the constraints and opportunities of working in close proximity to former industrial buildings which are currently undergoing surveys to gain a full picture of their condition, whilst we keep trying to practice as openly as possible together during this time, and throughout the construction stages to come.

-

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” - Dr Jane Goodall