Friction Talks is an Oxford-based collective staging creative events in a venue near you. The clue’s in the name: we like to shake things up a little and bring you speakers —emerging and established writers, artists, campaigners and musicians—who are each, in their own way, breaking the mold. We stage our events in easily accessible, democratic spaces. Most importantly, we do it either for free or at the minimum cost to our audience.

Over the past two years we have staged events with writers and artists including Paolo Scott, Iain Sinclair, Grayson Perry, Marina Warner, Peter Tatchell, James Attlee and Jem Finer, among others.

We are now seeking funding to put our activities on a more sustainable footing: in other words, to cover our costs. All the money we raise will go towards supporting the series into 2016. The autumn 2015 programme has included events with short-story writer Claire-Louise Bennett, Russian anarchist poet Kirill Medvedev and columnist and campaigner George Monbiot. (Our event with writer and BBC Arts Editor Will Gompertz, mentioned in the video, has had to be postponed until spring 2016 due to a commitment clash). The fantastic response we have had to the talks this autumn, with packed events at Quarter Horse and our  George Monbiot rewilding event at the Ultimate Picture Palace an advance sell-out, convince us we are on the right track. But we need your help in order to carry on!

We have a range of exciting perks lined up to reward you for supporting the programme, from limited edition mugs and T-shirts to books and diaries from cult London publisher Redstone Press and works by artists specially created for our campaign, making this the ultimate one-stop shop for your christmas presents! Thinking ahead how to beat those January blues, check out the delicious menu for our Midwinter Fundraising Feast in the Gallery section of the site. 

Please get the word out about our campaign: that way we can keep on bringing art to where the people are. Thank you!