1. Piata Autonoma Cluj Piata Autonoma Cluj (The Free Market of
Cluj) was born in December 2012 as a grassroots project through
which both individuals and different associations endeavour to
create a functional alternative to money-based living. You can see
the manifesto here. Text and photos by Iulia Sandor. Local group
Check http://bit.ly/piacluj
2. Food not BombsResources NeededEverybody is invited tobring
veganfood, volunteers offer togo to the markets and askfor the food
which is stillgood enough to beeaten, others bring itfrom home
Access to food is everyone`s right. There is enough food to feed
everyone, but a lot of it is thrown away. Its recommended to obtain
food from the farmers` market for free. The food is cooked in
groups of 2 up to 10 people as part of a community spirit. A
document is created online on the group discussion where you can
fill in with food obtained from the market 1 day for cooking
Average 10 people Check http://bit.ly/piacluj
3. Food not BombsWhy vegan food?Because animals are alsovictims
of exploitationand cruelty in the nameof profit. The list is
completed online and at the meetings before the event it is decided
over the menu, who and where will cook. The food list stays open to
contributions for 2 weeks, 1 day for cooking . Some host others,
others cook by themselves and bring it to the event. 1 day for
cooking Average 10 people Check http://bit.ly/piacluj
4. PromotionResources Needed Flyers Posters Finding free
printing Cut the costs by involving many people Design the flyers
by volunteers, posters, promote Facebook page, event, Twitter.
Promote the free market in the local newspapers announcing the
event Do interviews with participants. Ensure that the flyers reach
the people who dont have access to the internet by making available
hard copies of flyers & encouraging people to distribute them
around town. 4 weeks Average 10 people Check
http://bit.ly/piacluj
5. PromotionResources Needed Flyers Posters Finding free
printing Cut the costs by involving many people As more editions of
the market followed, the media became more sensitive to the event.
Since the beginning, no attempt was made to actively promote the
event in the media. After noticing the impact within the community,
media articles appeared and were more accurate with every month
about the message of the market. The free market takes place once
every four weeks and promotion becomes very strong one week before.
4 weeks Open to everyone Check http://bit.ly/piacluj
6. Participation during the marketResources Needed Paper,
boards, markers , tables, plates, covers, disposable cups, a laptop
and AV projector, water, chairs , hangers, rope. Some people arrive
earlier in order to organize the space, the eating room, papers are
put on the floor where the free objects will be put, also the
hangers are put on a rope, for a cheerful atmosphere, music plays
in the background, pictures from the last editions are also
projected, as well as messages regarding the significance of the
event, organizers talk to people in order to make sure they
understand the concept of the event, that it is not a charitable
event. 6 hours As many as possible! Check
http://bit.ly/piacluj
7. Participation during the marketResources Needed
Environmental friendly resources are used whenever possible
Different workshops take place, this depends on the people that
want to teach the others skills (sewing, repairing bicycles,
playing musical instruments), people are encouraged to share things
they dont use at home or to get the things they need from the
market. The aim is to make people understand that this is a
community were solidarity is vital. There is a strong feeling
transmitted that a community can live without money. 6 hours As
many as possible! Check http://bit.ly/piacluj
8. Participation during the marketResources Needed
Environmental friendly resources are used whenever possible
Different workshops take place, this depends on the people that
want to teach the others skills (sewing, repairing bicycles,
playing musical instruments), people are encouraged to share things
they dont use at home or to get the things they need from the
market. The aim is to make people understand that this is a
community were solidarity is vital. There is a strong feeling
transmitted that a community can live without money. 6 hours As
many as possible! Check http://bit.ly/piacluj
9. Facilitate a workshop during the market Resources Needed All
sorts of materials, depending on the workshops (e.g. recycled
materials, projector, etc ) The workshops are to encourage free
circulation of info through teaching and learning new things and
conveying of new practices. We have learned how to recycle and
reuse different objects: we turned pipes into musical instruments
and PETs into vases for flowers and bracelets and we became more
aware of our rights. Find people who want to share with others fun,
useful & civic skills, i.e. making baskets from recycled paper,
intro to photo, bookmarks from threads, fun science for children,
capoeira. Depends on complexity Two to three people Check
http://bit.ly/piacluj
10. Encourage people to barter services Resources Needed
Flipcharts and markers Put up flipcharts at the free market on
which people write what services/objects they need and what they
can help with/what they know to do. Promote this idea in the
newsletter, bringing the flipcharts from past editions to the
current one, making a document to be available online with the
services (but without people`s contacts which can be given only at
the event). Convince people to actually exchange services and
promote those that happened successfully. Very little time One to
two people Check http://bit.ly/piacluj