Starling Café #2 (Macphail Centre)

The Starling Café is a new initiative at the Macphail Centre to make room for ideas, reflection and conversation.

Running every few weeks through 2025, this is an evening event which will include a speaker, tea and coffee, and room for informal and open-ended conversation.  It will be a place to explore ideas and get to know a few other people in our community. The topics explored in this series will include community, hope, belonging, diversity, resilience and resistance.

The café is open to everyone but places are limited, so we ask that you book in advance. If you don't want to use this online process, you can contact Joanna at joanna.wright@highlifehighland.com to book a place.

This session will be presented by Dr Mairi McFadyen, independent researcher, on the topic of Possible Futures. 

Do we in the Highlands have something special to offer to our world?  

Our climate and ecological crisis is deeply tied to the impacts of global capitalism and its colonial legacy—a system that thrives on monoculture, erasing diversity in both nature and culture. What knowledge and traditions rooted here in the Highlands—in the Gàidhealtachd—can be reclaimed as part of a global movement of resistance and possibility?

There will be room for informal conversation to think about some of the ideas from the talk, in a café style setting. No-flipcharts, no public feedback, no action points, no right answers: the aim is simply to have a safe and hospitable space to talk and explore.

The sessions in the series will be individual events; you'll need to book for each one separately (info will be released a few weeks before each one). You're welcome to come to as many as you like.

PLEASE BOOK IN ADVANCE. Free entry, though there is option to donate to help us cover our costs (see booking page for options).  

Donations of baking are also welcome (please contact Joanna as above).

Please access the Macphail Centre via the library. 

We will look forward to seeing you!