We’re Still Here Posted on November 19, 2023 (July 20, 2024) by Wes Modes Social practice and new media work involved interviews with dozens of local elders about the subject of social isolation…
SubRosa Community Space Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 19, 2023) by Wes Modes An anarchist and radical space offering anarchist books and literature, coffee and tea, shows, art, and a garden courtyard social space….
Night Ride Radio Show Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 19, 2023) by Wes Modes I produced a radio show on Santa Cruz public radio station KUSP and pirate Free Radio Santa Cruz for six years between 2001 to 2007, over 120 volumes amounting to…
Santa Cruz Guerilla Drive-In Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 19, 2023) by Wes Modes An outdoor movie theater under the stars that springs up in the fields and industrial wastelands. Showing great movies, bringing a broad community together, and reclaiming public space….
Santa Cruz Trash Orchestra Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 19, 2023) by Wes Modes Trash Orchestra is a marching percussion band – a bone-shaking recycled orchestra – appearing at protests and celebrations, where a ruckus needs to be made….
Union of Benevolent Electrical Workers Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 24, 2023) by Wes Modes Tech Community: UBEW provides mutual support to anti-authoritarian groups making radical social change through direct action, community involvement, and education….
Burning Man Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 19, 2023) by Wes Modes Adventure: In 1993 when I first when to Burning Man, it was a few thousand crazy artists together for an apocalyptic weekend of camping in the desert. Since then, I’ve seen it grow from 2000 people to 50 thousand….
Freakshow Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 16, 2019) by Wes Modes An Independent Publication: Freakshow, being a Diverse Collection of the Curious & Peculiar, was an independent publication of DIY adverts….
Secret Exchange Posted on March 2, 2014 (November 18, 2019) by Wes Modes Secret Exchange invites people to share their secrets with strangers. A table and two chairs on a downtown street corner, and a sign inviting people to sit down share a secret….
Inspiration Comes in the Night Posted on November 18, 2019 (October 3, 2024) by Wes Modes A weblog about art, technology, and the creative process…
What the Hell’s Going on Downtown Day Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 24, 2023) by Wes Modes Blabbermouth the Mime, the street corner soapbox preacher, tiny tiny orchestra, and a half dozen other performers committed to bewildering downtown shoppers…
Streetside Letter Writing Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 22, 2019) by Wes Modes I did a streetside letter writing service with friends. The idea was simplicity itself: A letter writing service springs up on Pacific Ave, offering free typing/dictation of love letters, apologies, and blackmail….
Santa Cruz Community Safety Workgroup Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 22, 2019) by Wes Modes A Community Workgroup: “Without police, wouldn’t there be chaos?” and “What about the bad people?” We get asked these legitimate questions all the time. It’s time we began to wrestle with some possible answers….
Blue Light Safety Project Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 22, 2019) by Wes Modes A Community Project: The Blue Light Safety Project is a Santa Cruz local community effort to provide temporary safe spaces for people who are feeling unsafe….
What Is Art? Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 17, 2019) by Wes Modes What Is Art? was a tiny, 50-person-capacity venue run by a collective of people from the Santa Cruz art and music scene. …
Demystifying Anarchy Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 17, 2019) by Wes Modes Demystifying Anarchy featured a panel of self-identified anarchists who spoke about what anarchy means to them and how they see the world. …
Anarchist Convergence Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 17, 2019) by Wes Modes Collective Event: Santa Cruz is a hub of anarchist culture and resistance, with a long history of radical struggle and active anarchist projects spanning decades. A four-day anarchist convergence in May 2009 for community building and sharing radical ideas….
North American Free Skool Conference Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 17, 2019) by Wes Modes The first ever North American Free Skool Conference, an amazing opportunity for free skools from all over to get together, exchange ideas, and make ambitious plans….
Million Clown March Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 17, 2019) by Wes Modes Some 80 normally jolly clowns, supported by the buzz of a dozen kazoos, sought to make their plight public and turn the fortunes of clowndom toward a brighter future….
Free Coffee Bar Posted on November 9, 2019 (November 16, 2019) by Wes Modes We set up at the corner of Pacific and Cooper, our would be town square. We had a handsome coffee bar, a bright green market umbrella, stools, and fancy cafe aprons. People were cautious, confused, incredulous, inquisitive, excited, and grateful in pretty much that order….
