Summary

THE COMMONS AND COMMUNITY The idea of ​​the commons comes from Roman law, which refers to res communis, that which belongs to all, as opposed to res nullius, that which belongs to no one. The commons have traditionally been tied to defining the ownership status of shared areas within a community; a road, a pond, a beach or a forest, etc., and for thousands of years rural communities have managed certain areas collectively, and as such, the commons are possibly the most ancient relationship to property known to humanity.

In Caliban and the Witch, Silvia Federici (2004), however, points out the way in which capitalism flourishes through a reduction of the commons and the privatization of such lands. How the enclosure of these commons, used for the common good to raise livestock, fish, collect wood or socialize, has endangered the survival of communities that for centuries had shared such spaces. Common spaces were spaces of encounter, solidarity and sociability, and their social function was particularly important for women’s livelihood and autonomy. The expropriation of these commons has consequently reduced not only the economic and social space, but also the freedom to occupy and activate those spaces. Contemporary concepts of commons and commons-making recognise shared ownership beyond the land, incorporating common knowledge, practices and ways of being that are not tied to the physical. Indeed, the contemporary return to commons and commons-making practices can be seen as acts that challenge the status quo.

The Barcelona Public Arts Garage is a programme aimed at PhD and pre-doctoral students who are interested in exploring issues related to urban space and collaborative practices. It will build on the collaborative approaches developed during the Public Arts Garage project, to continue connecting different disciplines and incorporate the diversity of fields of practice, academic styles and structures of the different partner institutions.

The programme will explore the ideas of Commons and Commoning through theoretical seminars (online and in Barcelona) and interactions within public space, establishing different forms of collaborative constellations through digital and on-site workshops.