UNDER THE PEAKS OF CAPITALISM, CITIZENS TAKE POWER INTO THEIR HANDS

This is a story from the heart of the Alps – a place where ski lifts reach the highest peaks, and shopping and DJs have replaced nature. Here, real estate has become the capital, displacing the original communities. You don’t need to look hard to witness how the glitz and glamour of the ski resorts contrasts with the reality of the life of residents living in the valley bottom.

It is in these valleys that you’ll find citizens taking retail spaces back into their own hands. They are working together to repurpose these spaces from blank soulless canvases, to vibrant spaces full of community. These spaces are for building, demonstrating and creating a vision of the world that local people want, that meets their needs. The inhabitants here refuse to wait for permission, they embody the spirit of adventure and just ACT.

In this story, the gaze is not fixated on the power that exists up high in those peaks of capitalism, instead it is fixed on the power of the citizens and the communities of the valley bottom, and how they’re building collective action.

A MEETING OF MINDS

The story begins in the valleys of the Tarentaise where two women met,  Elsa and Aurélie, who share a passion for cutting waste, tinkering, and humanity.

Elsa comes from the North of France, the land of french fries, where human warmth compensates for the grey skies, and where laughter, friendly encounters (and beer) are easy to come by. Creative and full of enthusiasm, she wanted to become an artist and later a tourism development project manager. 

Aurélie is a local, with an inner compass that points to places where there’s meaning and fun, such as public benches. She’s optimistic and a jack-of-all-trades. She sees beauty and kindness everywhere, likes to tinker with ideas and in each collective initiative, sees a vision of a world in the making (and a world to be experienced).

They were both project managers of ‘waste reduction and sorting’ for two different regional authorities. They met at a conference between presentations on composting bins and recycling, and later chatted over a beer. It was here that they realised they shared the same vision: they were tired of just sorting waste… they believed it was possible to do more with less.

They had a desire to take concrete action, from a place they describe as “joyful frustration at the scale of waste and the infinite human potential.” This frustration is where a seed was planted, one to be sown in a corner of the Tarentaise. A region of contrasts: rich in a history linked to the mountains, winter sports, hospitality… but also marked by social inequalities, fragmented seasonal housing and sometimes isolated inhabitants.

THE SEED GROWS ROOTS

To turn this emerging vision from joyful frustration into reality, Elsa and Aurélie would need a venue for their emerging and ambitious vision.  

An unlikely venue was unearthed: a former pound shop / dollar store stocking imported household goods in the heart of Aime-la-Plagne, a small valley bottom town located on the ancient road that joins France and Italy. Since Roman times, Aime has been a crossroads of passage, exchange, and solidarity, carrying within it a tradition of hospitality and social diversity.

The now cleared retail space stood as a disused warehouse, with a large almost enclosed parking lot, covering over 1000 sqm. For Elsa and Aurélie this was the venue of their wildest dreams.

They saw the parking lot as the Great Outdoors, a space to host: concerts, outdoor workspaces, the distribution of vegetables, and other shared moments. “Who knows even a collective chicken coop, solar shade structures, or a mini-potato field in the green patches?!” said Elsa. 

The inside of the store was empty, the perfect blank canvas for their community to paint. It could house workshops, a bar, a communal eating space, and a ‘recyclerie’, a second-hand shop to keep objects out of landfill. 

They saw the venue as a powerful symbol: where once low-cost disposable items reigned, rescued goods, sharing, community, collective action and creativity could flourish.

Their minds ran wild.

THE WORK BEGAN

Applying for loans, searching for partners, visiting similar locations, and collectively writing and rewriting the cooperatives statutes filled their days.

Elsa and Aurélie would use new forms of governance to bring to life a space where objects, ideas, and people could coexist. They would take a collective approach. Antropia took root as a SCIC (Collective Interest Cooperative Society)with a statement: to build together, with local stakeholders. They began with seven founders including residents, associations, and a social enterprise.

They called it Antropia (Anthropy). Anthropy comes from the Greek “anthrōpos,” meaning “human being” or “mankind.” The name blends other terms too, like “philanthropy” (love of humanity) and “anthropology” (study of humans). Anthropy resonates across disciplines, emphasising their collective pursuit of understanding and improving human life making it the perfect word to describe their approach.

It was during the evenings, and weekends of work, that they formed a deep trust in each other. It was born from a shared desire, the joy of moving forward, and sometimes back, but always together even in the middle of the most fraught paperwork. They experienced a “joyful mix of seriousness, oh so much seriousness, with a touch of madness, that made the adventure somehow possible.”

After many late nights, and reams of paperwork the venue was secured and in the freezing cold winter of 2022/2023, the physical work got underway. Most of the work was carried out in house, with lots of elbow grease. A salvaged bar came from the construction site opposite, a rescued spruce worktop was sanded down so it could be comfortably lent on for those all important ponderings, and miles of shelves were revived to store everything. An Alley of Arts also took shape, built from found materials.  

They didn’t work alone. An army of wrapped-up, highly motivated volunteers came to lend a hand, painting, sanding, plastering, and, above all, sowing ideas, sharing desires, and bursting with laughter in every corner of the place. Many of the army are still involved today. “Their formidable and boundless energy, their unbridled creativity, and their infectious joy have carried Antropia farther than could have ever been imagined. It is this community energy that shaped the space, it is from where Antropia was born.” says Aurélie 

This is when I had the privilege of becoming part of the Antropia story. In the next valley we’d launched a much smaller community space, One Tree at Time. The community space had the same ethos, it had been shaped by the community and together we’d become experts in keeping outdoor gear out of landfill. So, it was natural that One Tree, an association, joined Antropia by bringing affordable, rescued and revived outdoor gear to the space. I have very fond memories of those early days. The size of the vision and the collective approach filled me with joy. I was lucky to be there in those moments, creating and testing out new ideas.

On April 30, 2023, the doors to Antropia opened and our ideas were there for the world to see.. “Butterflies in the stomach and slightly squeamish smiles at first, then, oh, relief: a large turnout and many congratulations…”  Elsa

AND TODAY?

Two years after its opening, four years after the initial planning, Antropia has 23 members including local authorities, associations, a social enterprise, and committed residents, all united to make Antropia a place that reflects the community.

The organisation is stewarded by 4 full time employees, who are supported by the heroes of Antropia: the 10 or so very committed volunteers, the aces of sorting, checking games/toys, bicycles, shelving clothes and dishes. Together, they have succeeded in exceeding Antropia’s objectives: avoiding the waste of objects, materials, clothes, and creating connections. 

In 2024 alone, they saved 38 tonnes of items from landfill, and hosted 222 community workshops and activities.

Antropia has been described as a space that is “so well organised, it doesn’t look like secondhand!” But, it is much more than a second-hand store. Antropia hosts a community canteen where you can eat healthy, local food without breaking the bank, a bar where local beers meet community-minded ideas. There’s a cobbler who gives new life to the community’s shoes. It makes the outdoors more accessible by selling rescued and patched technical outdoor gear from association partner One Tree at a Time. There’s a ceramics and mosaic room where you can create and clear your mind. The Arts Alley connects to a Micro-Folie, so visitors can view local artists’ work alongside artwork from France’s greatest museums.

And, the parking lot is an ever evolving project. Community graffiti adorns the once grey walls. The bollards have been yarn-bombed with crocheted designs, and the store is announced with a knitted Antropia sign. During community events the parking lot comes to life with anti-fast fashion shows, patching, screen printing, break dancing workshops, and children racing balance bikes around a track. This is a space to laugh, share, learn and to find your community. The parking lot now serves as a place where you find the others, and where we hatch plans for even bigger projects. 

The collective chicken coop, solar shade structures, and mini-potato field, are still a dream but you trust that with time Elsa and Aurélie will make the dream a reality. These two citizens with a shared passion for cutting waste, tinkering, and humanity have got us this far. Now that they have an army of committed citizens by their side, “WE” are unstoppable.

Antropia has become a refuge for volunteers, seasonal workers, families, DIY enthusiasts, and people who just want to say hello. A place to dream below the peaks of capitalism. A living example of what ‘WE’ can build together. It demonstrates the power of not seeking permission and how, if we put trust in our fellow citizens and start with structures that foster collective action, ‘WE’ can create a vision of the world we want. 

A SEED THAT WANTS TO SPREAD

The project doesn’t end in these valleys. From the outset, Elsa and Aurélie wanted Antropia to be a springboard for other initiatives. They describe it as “a joyful and imperfect laboratory that inspires and supports.” It is a space where big ideas are born, fostered and shared.

Some of that sharing is done through the Re-Action Collective movement. A global collective of organisations reimagining the outdoors, through citizen-led projects. Working together across 8 countries, and nearly 70 organisations, they share ways to rescue products, and revive them through repair, rebranding and repurposing. They then redistribute items through resale, rental and donation, reallocating profits to regenerate the outdoors. 

Antropia, as part of the Re-Action Collective, plays a big role in the emergence of a new human story. It helps spread a new vision. One where we can do more with less, through global collaboration, and “led by people who, like us, have decided to reinvent their corner of the mountains, plains, or seaside.” Aurélie

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

If you’re local then join one of the 222 annual Antropia community workshops, attend a parking lot event, or join the team for a healthy meal at the community canteen.

If you live further afield, look out for community events in your own area. These are the spaces where you find the others, where you discover your very own Elsa or Aurélie. In these spaces, you can share your feelings, your concerns, and then work out how you can act together. Importantly, when you’ve found the others, follow Elsa and Aurélie’s lead – don’t wait for permission.

A CAMPAIGN TO SUSTAIN THE ADVENTURE

Today, Antropia continues to grow, but to ensure the organisation survives the uncertain winds of self-financing, a permanent support campaign has been launched on Ulule. This isn’t a traditional campaign, but a vibrant appeal to all those who believe that another world is possible.

You can join this epic adventure, and become a piece of Antropia, too.

Antropia – a mountain of resources. Where the motto is “we do it together.”