Transplace Research School Retreat 2025
Every year, the research school travels together for a three-day retreat – a stay where we spend time together, present ongoing research, and delve deeper into the school’s questions. After previous years on Grinda, this year’s trip went to Ställberg’s Mine in Ljusnarsberg Municipality.
Ställberg’s Mine is located in the Hörksälven valley and was once Europe’s deepest iron ore mine. In the 1960s, nearly 500 people lived in the community surrounding the mine. When it closed in 1977, both the population and local services declined. In 2012, eleven people with diverse professional backgrounds took the initiative to transform the site. Through the association The Non Existent Center (TNEC), supported by its sister organization Non Existent Resources, which has owned the buildings and land since around 2015, the area now hosts a vibrant cultural programme. After being closed for 36 years, the mine has been transformed into a space where culture, art, and political thought can unfold. The activities include walks, lectures, exhibitions, and artist residencies.
Read more on Ställbergs gruva's website.
The retreat, held 8–10 September 2025, offered a rich programme where local excursions, stories, workshops, and discussions intertwined. Participants took part in a listening session, conversations on transition and democracy, a workshop on publishing practices, and discussions on the continued development of the research school.
