Projectile 2008 - Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

What is Projectile?

Projectile is a major political and cultural event in the anarchist calendar. Now in its fourth year it promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Whats on?

Films, discussions, practical workshops,panel debates, Q and As, music, poetry and art installations will be squeezed like veritable sardines into the four days. We'll be watching, talking about and listening to: Chiapas, Ethel MacDonald, class war, punk rock, situationism, queer politics and memories of 1968 from a Geordie working class perspective.

Highlights of the Festival are a live webcast with Professor Noam Chomsky (regarded as the most important intellectual alive today), discussing how anarchism has illuminated his critical thought and Paul Mason, Newsnights business and industrial correspondent, talking about amongst other things the Paris commune of 1871 and the emergence of working class struggle in China, where underreported wild cat strikes and popular uprisings are threatening the fabric of this dominant superpower.

Full programme can be downloaded here (pdf)

The Projectile 2008 poster can be downloaded here (pdf)

To Reserve Your Tickets - 

just send a message to us here saying how many tickets you want and we will get straight back to you with confirmation. 

Why Projectile?

In a world being consumed by an economic system that lines the pockets of rich and powerful elites, propped up and perpetuated by  governments whether they be western liberal, dynastic, religious, or state 'socialist' dictatorships, most of us have pondered how this deeply polarised situation has come to pass and what ways of escape are open to us.

For sure it's a mighty tough nut to crack, and a question that is as old as the hills. But anarchism is an ideal with its emphasis, not as is often misunderstood, on chaos or snot filled punk nihilism, but on fundamental changes in society from the grass roots up, where both rank and file and community make real democratic choices about how they work and how they live. Where people are liberated from poverty on the one hand and from working themselves into the ground for some greedy sod on the other.

Anarchism isn't just about dreams and 'what ifs'. Anarchists have always been there whether its fighting against State Communism, Fascism or Capitalism, and have in some places for a short amount of time created something that has come close to a truly free and democratic society.

Projectile hopes to shed light on these ideas, struggles and histories, and go a little way to liberate anarchism in the UK from its current sub-cultural stale confines and impotent ideologues, and bring it out into the light of the day, as a set of ideas and actions that come tantalisingly close to what is needed if we are to achieve an equitable planet.

Accommodation, Prices and other stuff

Accommodation: for those travelling any distance - bring a sleeping bag and email us to let us know you need crash space.*

Prices: weekend pass £25/£15; day pass £10; films £4; discussions £0; chomsky talk £5/3; Fri gig £2; Sat & Sun gigs £7.

in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

There'll be food and a late bar running throughout the festival. So get your funky arses down here from Friday till Monday.
 

[*Alternatively, Newcastle has a number of cheap hostels, for example:
The Albatross Hostel has 24 hour access and costs around £19.50 per person per night.
http://www.hostelworld.com/availability.php/Albatross-NewcastleuponTyne-14250

The Newcastle YHA Hostel is in Jesmond currently has spaces at £16.00 (£12 for under 18s) per person per night. Its only drawback is an 11pm closure - though you may be able to negotiate a later entry.http://www.yha.org.uk
As a party town, any cheap hotels/bed and breakfasts tend to get snapped up early, however you could try: The Roseberry Hotel in Jesmond. They advertise rooms from £24 single and £50 double/twinhttp://www.roseberyhotel.co.uk/hotelrates.htm]