THE CONVIVIAL

You are most welcome.

The Convivial is an interdisciplinary symposium or talk series based in Penryn, Cornwall and inspired by the concept of ‘conviviality’ as spoken about by Ivan Illich: 

“I intend [‘conviviality’] to mean autonomous and creative intercourse among persons, and the intercourse of persons with their environment; and this in contrast with the conditioned response of persons to the demands made upon them by others, and by a man-made environment. I consider conviviality to be individual freedom realised in personal interdependence and, as such, an intrinsic ethical value. I believe that, in any society, as conviviality is reduced below a certain level, no amount of industrial productivity can effectively satisfy the needs it creates among society’s members.”

Ivan Illich, Tools for Conviviality

The Convivial provides a hospitable space for imagination and creative discourse that is accessible for the community to attend for free or for a donation. We are driven by the desire for open-access knowledge and tools for imagination in a world that desperately needs both. The Convivial wishes to break down institutional walls and share the wisdom within them with those who are best placed to use it – the community itself. 

We host speakers who are practitioners and experts across the sciences, arts and humanities to contribute to a conversation about what it means to live well in the world today. Our intention is to create a space for sharing wisdom with far fewer barriers for entry into worlds of knowledge, tools and inspiration. Our speakers are poets, artists, academics, scientists, inventors, activists, friends, neighbours (or a mixture of many things!) and each evening’s talk offers a portal or an opening into a more nourishing and imaginative world. 

Each talk will be around 45 minutes to an hour, and will be followed by a bowl of something delicious and a couple of hours to have a drink and a conversation around the topic as a gathering of like-hearted souls. Paradox and complexity are welcome here, so come prepared for lively discussion, but please be aware that one of our core values is hospitality. Hospitality to each other, to our differing worldviews, and to the space and gathering as a whole. We ask for a generosity of mind and soul to new ideas — generative curiosity rather than criticism.

Our evenings are PowerPoint and phone-free (unless there are particular access needs) but feel free to bring a notepad and pen, or just listen open-mouthed and bathe in the fizz of a gorgeous conversation! The lighting will be low, the chairs gathered round higgledy-piggledy, the drinks will be uncorked and the smell of something tasty cooking will start to fill the air… 

Would you like to speak at one of these gatherings? Head to the Speaker page.

For all other enquiries or to tell us the kinds of subjects important to you, please email us at hellotheconvivial@gmail.com.