In-Situ

03/06/2026

We've found Talkaoke invaluable in facilitating some deep listening during This Is Nelson.

Talkaoke, from The People Speak, is an illuminated donut-shaped table with a (trained) host sitting in the middle on a swivel chair. The host facilitates a safe space for conversation to flow, while holding space for silences and unfinished sentences.

“it really gave women a platform to express themselves. There were a few moments of really challenging differences in views around expectations of women, which hit deep. They felt it was a safe space to air their vulnerabilities and challenges. But also, hosting the Talkaoke was really emotional and had a lot of impact on me personally" - Zoya Bhatti, In-Situ.

We’ve trained 8 Talkaoke facilitators and are holding monthly sessions to train more people, to hold more conversations with residents in Nelson over the coming months around Climate Lab Pendle, valuing listening and respect, meeting people where they’re at to learn more about their thoughts.

Building Bridges Network This_is_Nelson Super Slow Way Pendle Council

14/05/2026

People's Assembly
Let's bring Hope into the open
Thursday 21st May 1-3pm
Netherfield Gardens, Nelson (opposite Farmhouse Biscuits)

Join for a People's Assembly exploring Hope Not Hate's A Million Acts of Hope

Local people have been working with Patrick Spain and Burnley and Pendle Accessibility Campaign to plant fruit and nut trees from around the world, developing an edible trail across the town.

Come and join to celebrate this amazing addition to Nelson's green spaces and help plant some herbs to add to the space on the day.

You can also join in with:

- Creative Activities from artist Nazia Sultana and the Pendle Festival of Culture team making flags and décor for the Festival on Saturday 27th June.
- Talkaoke, the talking and listening station where you can explore ideas for how to bring hope back out into the open
- Eating locally cooked food from Zinat at Saffron Kitchen

Building Bridges Network

29/04/2026

We’re a pretty unique organisation; building a way of team working that shares power and sees leadership as fluid. We have equal pay, no Director, consensus decision making and are intentionally building diversity and equity amongst the team.

That said, it feels significant to announce, that Paul Hartley, the last remaining co-founder of the organization, has recently taken the decision to transition from being part of the team, to working on a freelance-basis with In-Situ.

“As a team, it’s affirming to know that the work the organisation has always been involved in, in decentralising power and enabling everyone in the organisation to have a powerful voice, has strengthened and solidified, enabling the process of my stepping away to become part of the continual process of renewal and growth and emergence of In-Situ as the organisation continues to explore and develop.”
- Paul Hartley

Over 2026 we will continue to build bold community-led programmes for social and climate justice including Hillo Hub and Climate Lab, building on In-Situ's legacy of work that challenges current thinking about people, place and culture.

22/04/2026

🌎☀💥Happy Earth Day 🌎☀💥

We're marking Earth Day with news about Climate Lab Pendle, which explores alternative approaches to addressing climate issues at a community level.

We've kicked off our Spring and Summer season of listening and co-learning events with a refresher and meet-up for our trained Climate Fresk Facilitators.

Climate Fresks are workshops exploring the science and politics behind climate change and empowering people to take action. Our facilitators will be delivering fresks across the area between now and July.

We'll have a public launch of Climate Lab Pendle at this year's Festival of Culture in Nelson on 27th June, with artist Dana Olărescu, climate trainer and activist Tom Deacon, Art Collective The People Speak and Creative Collaborator Temujen Gunawardena.

Climate Lab Pendle's programme is working cyclically with the seasons to promote a healthy way of working together that gives space for emergence and values time for co-learning and delivering as well as rest and reflection.

We're loosely diving up our work seasonally as follows:

☀Spring into Summer - delivering Climate Fresks and pop-up Talkaokes, connecting with new people
🍂Autumn into Winter - reflection, composting, taking stock
❄️🌱Winter into Spring - collective planning for the year ahead, learning new skills, nurturing our collective ways of working
🔄...and repeating the following year

Let us know if you have questions on the way we're working - we'd love to chat!

This project is made possible thanks to National Lottery players, with funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.

31/03/2026

When a working class community tells its own story.

Award-winning duo Malandra Jacks invites you into a world of spellbinding projection, real voices and unapologetic heart. Census is part theatre, part time capsule: a celebration of communities rarely seen on stage.

Funny, intimate and defiant, Census is a love letter to working-class communities, a call to remember who we are and what we carry with us.

Join us for this special performance at 3B systems, Nelson.

Date: Saturday April 18th
Time: 2:30pm-4:00pm
Location: 3B systems, The Technology Centre, Carr Road, Nelson, BB9 7JS

To book on: use the qr code above or use the link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/this-is-nelson-presents-census-tickets-1985981541251?aff=oddtdtcreator

Building Bridges PendleNelson Town CouncilSuper Slow Way

18/03/2026

18/03/2026

Please support Colne Town Council with there Town of Culture bid here is a short survey. Community Arts by ZK Super Slow Way Building Bridges Pendle Mid Pennine Arts
Quick Community Survey

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

11/03/2026

Creative Collaborator
Deadline: 16th March
Artist fee: £2948 (11 days @£268 In-Situ standard day rate)
Materials budget: £5,000
April-July 2026
Location: Nelson and surrounding area, Pendle, East Lancs

We are looking for a creative collaborator - an artist with skills in visual communication, illustration and/or graphic design and experience in communicating complex themes around climate and social justice.

You’ll be bringing your own creative methods to help us to document and communicate Climate Lab Pendle, creating an illustrative series of visual guides for a range of settings.

Full details via linktree.

07/03/2026

Exciting opportunity to create some bespoke wall based murals for the newly developed Colne market hall ready for the grand opening 1st of May. We are looking for local artists to send in expressions of interest who have experience of created larger scale artworks in public spaces. We are looking for a variety of styles to choose from these can be illustrative, urban spray and painted, figurative or abstract, shape or text. This will be a paid commission but a quick turn around, artists must be available during April for completion by 24th April. We are really keen to support artists based or have a strong connection to Colne if possible. Please can you send a short outline of your practice with examples of your work to [email protected] by Monday 16th March 11 AM Colne Town Council Pendle Council Super Slow Way Building Bridges Pendle Mid Pennine Arts Pendle Leisure Trust Community Arts by ZK

05/03/2026

📣 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬! 💭

Colne is getting ready to bid for the 𝗨𝗞 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 — a national competition celebrating the creativity, heritage, music, festivals and community spirit that make towns truly special...

And we need your input - this coming Thursday! 👇