Summary for International Call Matera

[ben]

If you chanced across this post independent of it’s parent post, it may be useful to read for context where this approach emerged from here: Timing is everything – a summary of open sourcing Matera

The core requirements of the call are outlined in this document, I am currently tasked with filling in the blanks in collaboration with Rossella from MT2019, many of the questions asked in the call will be lifted and editted from the initial EdgeRyders call. If you think we’ve missed a key question, have entirely different set of questions that you believe should be asked, please speak now.

The next area that we covered in the co-writing session was the process for shortlisting and selecting pledges/applications to unMonastery. The current approach looks like this (but lets be clear, this is open to debate):

• The International Call goes online in the next two weeks.
• Applications are submitted between now and the end of the year.
• All applications are reviewed by a panel on a rolling 2 month basis.
• The panel is made up of MT2019 comittee, Alberto, myself and a nominated individual from Matera
• Each application is evaluated based on a criteria of meeting the key challenges and skills needed (this criteria will be outlined clearly alongside the international call)
• Those that meet the criteria are shortlisted and asked to create a post (in what ever form) online outlining their project, this can then be discussed and peer reviewed.
• Based on this process and ensuing discussion the panel will then make a final decision.

There are a couple of reasons for taking this approach, firstly it’s important to highlight that although individuals are not paid for participating in the unMonastery project directly, they do receive space, resources and a monthly allowance for their project – this money is coming from public funds and thus there is a need to be made accountable for how this is spent.

The second reason is internal resources on the part of unMonastery, we actually don’t know how many applications to expect but unMonastery is increasingly recieving more and more press despite having yet to actively court it. unMonastery has already appeared on Shareable, the Huffington Post, is set to be featured in the Italian issue of Wired and has appeared on numerous others sites – so this may mean that application numbers are very high. Which creates a problem, unMonastery in this moment is almost entirely run on volunteered time, meaning dealing with a high in take requires a workable approach based on time and resources available.

Regardless of what has been stated so far it’s important that the process stay open for debate and we’d like to be 100% transparent in establishing this process. It can at this point take an entirely different form, however we need to decide soon, really soon – so all suggestions and discussion is welcomed.

Another point to consider is that we have already put out a call to the EdgeRyders network, for which we’ve recieved a number of strong applications, aside from a few email updates we’ve dithered slightly on accepting anyone whilst we got this process in place – this to me though feels slightly unfair – and I apologise you haven’t been kept more up-to-date. It’s my feeling that right now 1 or 2 of those applications should be accepted and the others are given the option to respond or rewrite their application according to the challenges laid out.

I’d like to also float at this point another possibility, we are limited to a maximum of 10 unMonasterians at any one time primarily because of budgetery constraints - I though think it could create an interesting shift if individuals were to attain funding for projects and bring them into unMonastery in this way. Myself, Anthony and Gaia are currently in the midst of an application to the Nominet Trust to build a specific set of tools that will enivitably fund additional people coming to stay at unMonastery and we’ve factored these costs into the bid.

[matthias]

Including third-party funded projects in the intl call

Your last point (that unMonastery could house more than 10 people if the additional ones come with their own funding) seems like a great addition. unMonastery would provide free housing only, and, because it’s large enough a space, this would mean no additional strain on public funds. At the same time, being provided a space for free plus embedding into a local community and a co-working space is already a great selling point when applying for funding for own projects, as I just experienced. So if you include, in the international call, details on how to be accepted as a project when coming with your own funding, it could increase the size and impact of the unMonastery project.

And if you really get overwhelmed with applications, that’s also positive because it’s a pool of projects that might be interested to keep up their application for other unMonasteries, once they get off the ground in other cities

[ilariadauria]

The last point is definetly an excellent development. I have 2 main questions:

• How about people that do not have funding but are still willing to commit and come on their own expenses following the rules?
• How about the locals that are willing to participate without actually living there? 

This is really building up into something!

[ben]

1. I am more than happy for this to happen, I think we need to figure out logistics but in my mind a guest room, always figured into the equation - infact I think it’s essential that the model be capable of supporting individuals and/or groups coming and staying in the space to do skillshares, gives talks and to generally keep any single unMonastery from calcifying its outlook and ideas.

Logistically we’ll have to figure out how this works though. I imagine there would have to be some form of pledge made (although lighter than a full application) to insure we don’t face people treating it as a retreat/holiday - we could also send out invitiations. This will be particularly important during the prototype for building momentum and traction for the opening of other buildings in 2015.

2. We had introduced the idea of injection (of ideas/demands) previously but that seemed to go out the window during the last co-design session, with the way we were shaping the call to include local submission - I think during the unconference week we’ll establish a much clearer idea of how the space should be made available to the locals in Matera.

[alberto]

How many beds?

Ben, I lost the overview. How many people can the unMonastery part of the building accommodate?

[ben]

Still waiting on a room count from the architects, so we can figure out exactly what capacity looks like. But we’ve budgeted for 10 at anyone time.

[mishek]

make sure to include an area for a community improvisation space

Would like to propose an improvisation space in the building somewhere, so please consider that in allocating rooms etc. Will post it up soon but meanwhile it’s at least a living room like area, a changing improvised space where materans and edgeryders can interface, explore, work on and develop ideas and dreams, place for dialogue and play. Thanks.