Inspired by Free Software, software that challenges conventional practices of authorship, ownership and distribution, our innovative congress explored the implications of those developments for art, visual culture and cultural production in general

Open Congress took place at Tate Britain over the 7th-8th October 2005. It was structured through three themes of Governance, Creativity and Knowledge. Participants shaped the Congress through simultaneous presentations, discussion, workshops and events. These included...

Cory Doctorow- from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Johanna Gibson, David Berry & Giles Moss -The Libre Society, McKenzie Wark author of A Hacker Manifesto, Trebor Scholz– The Institute of Distributed Creativity, Toni Prug of Open Organizations, Bronac Ferran with John Bywater, David Heath and Luke Nicholson, Richard Barbrook, Ben White with Eileen Simpson, Locarecords, Kelli Dipple, Monica Ross, Tiziana Terranova, Julian Priest, Christian Ahlert – Open Business, Neil Cummings, David Goldenberg, Jamie King, Saul Albert - Wireless London, Pete Maloney, Armin Medosch and Shu lea Cheang - Kingdom of Piracy, Paul B Davies, Max - Seeds for Change, Joasia Krysa with Grzesiek Sedek, Manuela Zechner, Corrado Morgana, Ilze Black, Julian Priest, Mary Anne Francis - Part Art, Constant VZW, Linda Drew, Felix Stalder, Simon Yuill, Simon Pope, Ian IanDrysdale, Trevor Giles, Carles Guerra, Tom Neill, Wei-Ho Ng, Darrel Stadlen - chelsea2005 among many, many others

Open Congress was initiated by CriticalPractice a cluster of researchers at Chelsea School of Art and Design