The Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh, also known as ACE, is an
infoshop
Infoshops are places in which people can access anarchist or autonomist ideas. They are often stand-alone projects, or can form part of a larger radical bookshop, archive, self-managed social centre or community centre. Typically, infoshops offer ...
and
autonomous social centre in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, Scotland. It was founded in 1997, although it follows on from previous groups.
Antecedents
ACE formed out of the
Edinburgh Unemployed Workers Centre of the 1980s, which was originally a non-partisan council office, which later split from the council when it became increasingly politicised due to the struggles of the period such as resistance to the
poll tax
A poll tax, also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual (typically every adult), without reference to income or resources.
Head taxes were important sources of revenue for many governments f ...
. Glaswegian writer
James Kelman
James Kelman (born 9 June 1946) is a Scottish novelist, short story writer, playwright and essayist. His novel '' A Disaffection'' was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction in 1989. Kelman won ...
gave a speech at the opening of the Edinburgh Unemployed Workers Centre
which is featured in Kelman's book ''And the Judges said''. Kelman has publicly expressed support for ACE.
Setting Up
In a flyer circulated in 1996, ACE stated the following aims for the project:
* Advice and solidarity against dole harassment
* A meeting place for community-political groups
* Radical books, 'zines, and information
* A low-cost vegan cafe and drop-in centre
* Local arts and crafts
* Underground records, demos, t-shirts, badges
* People's food co-operative
* Socializing in an anti-sexist, -racist, or -homophobic environment
* An epicenter of alternative/DIY kulture (Spelling and emphasis in original.)
2000s
In 2000 the following groups were using the centre: Autonomous Women of Edinburgh, Angry Youth, Edinburgh Animal Rights, Youth Solidarity Group, the Mutiny Collective and Prisoners’ Support, May Day Edinburgh, anti-terrorism bill. In 2005, the groups were as follows: Stop the War (Edinburgh), Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (Scotland), Independent Media Centre Scotland, No War but the Class War, Peace Camp, the A701 Protest Camp (the Bilston Glen antibypass campaign).
The revolutionary,
class struggle
Class conflict, also referred to as class struggle and class warfare, is the political tension and economic antagonism that exists in society because of socio-economic competition among the social classes or between rich and poor.
The form ...
anarchist news sheet ''Counter Information'' was based in the centre.
Recent Events
In 2014 those involved with the ACE collective produced the statement "From Yes to Action", an attempt to understand the political context after the failed
Scottish independence referendum
A referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom was held in Scotland on 18 September 2014. The referendum question was, "Should Scotland be an independent country?", which voters answered with "Yes" or "No". The "No" side wo ...
.
In 2016 ACE supported
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1 ...
students who occupied Charles Stewart House demanding divestment.
ACE is a founding member of
Action Against Austerity.
See also
*
The 1 in 12 Club
The 1 in 12 Club refers to both a members' club and the building in which it is based, in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Owned and run by its membership as a collective based upon anarchist principles, its activities include social and pol ...
*
Cowley Club
*
London Action Resource Centre
The London Action Resource Centre (LARC) is an anarchist infoshop and self-managed social centre situated in Whitechapel, in the East End of London. Previously a school and a synagogue, it was purchased in 1999. It hosts meetings and events from v ...
*
Sumac Centre
The Sumac Centre is a self-managed social centre in Nottingham, UK. It provides resources, meeting spaces and workshops for groups and individuals, and supports campaigning for human rights, animal rights, the environment, and peace. It is part of ...
*
Warzone Collective
Warzone Collective was formed in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1984. It is an anarchopunk group which set up a self-managed social centre called Giro's in 1986. The project moved to a bigger premises in 1991 and became known as the Warzone Centre. ...
References
Further reading
History of ACE
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Organisations based in Edinburgh
Social centres in the United Kingdom
Infoshops