The Sunrise SOL Currency
Website
Project Aim
This project was originally run at the Sunrise: Off Grid Transition Gathering in August 2009. The idea was to play with the idea of a complementary Transition currency within an extremely localised and time-limited environment, in this case an education camp.
We aimed through this project to design and produce notes valued at the equivalent of £1 sterling and which were titled SOLs (Symbol of Life). These were then circulated for use at the Off-Grid event and accepted by (nearly) all traders throughout.
The primary aim, beyond experimentation, was to raise awareness of the concept of complementary currencies and Transition in an interactive, experiential way. We also hoped that by introducing the SOLs, it would encourage an increase in spending at the event caterers, rather than attendees visiting the local supermarket or other off-site facilities. They notes were circulated by and as part of the Post-Economix Area of the event - which had a whole programme dedicated to new ways of thinking about currency - from LETs schemes through Freeconomies to the Totnes Pound.
The Sunrise SOL is to have its second outing at Off-Grid 2010 from August 19th - 22nd.
Further details
The SOL was essentially a Transition £1 note. - exactly the same as the well-known extremely successful Totnes or Lewes £-Pounds which have received much media interest over the past year.
The SOL note was treated as legitimate currency equivalent to £1 sterling at the Sunrise: Off Grid Transition Gathering from 12 noon on Thursday 20th until 12 Midnight on Sunday 23rd August 2009.
The notes were 'sold' from the Post Economix Area of the event and given out in change by the main site traders. Over 1000 notes were in circulation during the event. At the end of the gathering, traders returned the notes to ourselves whom then exchanged them back for £ sterling.
The notes were produced through funds received from Avalon Fair Shares.
A crib sheet given out to traders at the event is attached to this profile.
The Sunrise SOL is to be rerun at Off-Grid 2010. See website for details...
Inspiration
Outcomes so far
Unexpected outcomes
Obstacles, and how we overcame them
Cynicism from site traders:- Had to do a lot of carousing and persuading with some. Sent out or gave factsheets to them explaining the basis of the SOL.
Getting the message to public:- Was 50% successful, though many could not see the point, I think, and did not fully engage with it.
Lessons Learned
Links and Partnerships
Avalon Fair Shares - Jon Cousins - Funded the production of the notes and coordinated the Post-Economix Area
Transition Towns Leamington - Hosted the Transition Tin Village that was the hub of Transitional activity at the event.
Sources of Funding
Avalon Fair Shares paid for costs of the note's production. This was acknowledged on notes
Sources of materials
Used a Secure Ticket Printing Firm. All graphics for note designed in-house by our designer Jake Ewen
Contacts
Files
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