Network For A New Culture

Network for a New Culture (NFNC) is a network of persons who actively promote personal growth, personal empowerment, and social change. NFNC is an informal network; there are several organizations and groups that consider themselves affiliated with NFNC, with centers and activities in several locations around the US. NFNC's home page states that it "seeks to build a sustainable, violence-free culture through exploring intimacy, personal growth, transparency, radical honesty, equality, compassion, sexual freedom, and the power of community".

The main organizations that consider themselves affiliated with NFNC are the New Culture Institute (NCI), based in Eugene, Oregon, and the Center For a New Culture (CFNC), based in Arlington, VA; both of these are 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporations. There are also active New Culture groups in New York City, Philadelphia, Maui, Hawaii (Big Island), Santa Cruz CA, and Oakland CA, as well as concentrations of members in Seattle, Portland OR, Boston, Toronto, and San Diego.

The principal activities of NFNC are annual 10-day retreats and workshops where participants live in an experimental version of the culture they are trying to build; there are also frequent shorter events throughout the year at various sites around the US. From 1995 through 2003, most NFNC events were centered around Oregon. Since 2003, NFNC has grown significantly, as groups have formed in other locations. For 2009-2010, there are major events planned for Hawaii (Winter), California (Spring), Oregon (Summer),and West Virginia (Summer).

At these events, NFNC states that there is always a clear emphasis on freedom of choice for each participant; each individual is "at choice" to explore or not according to their own comfort level within parameters of communication designed to create "win-win" results.

NFNC claims to take an eclectic approach to personal growth. Most workshops and presenters are drawn from outside the organization, and though there are consistent themes, there is no fixed program. Each event is organized by volunteers, and the makeup of the organizing team varies from year to year. There is no central authority or leader.

NFNC has had a number of notable speakers at its events. These include cellular biologist Bruce Lipton, doctor and citizen diplomat Patch Adams, author and researcher Joseph Chilton Pearce, author and Rabbi Gershon Winkle, activists and sex educator Loraine Hutchins, Radical Honesty founder Brad Blanton, editor and author Diana Leafe Christian, memeticist Paxus Calta, and broadcaster, author, and psychotherapist Thom Hartmann.

Network For a New Culture was originally inspired by the German intentional community ZEGG (German acronym standing for "Center for Experimental Culture Design"). ZEGG and the Portuguese intentional community Tamera draw on some of the insights and writings of Dieter Duhm and Sabrina Lichtenfels, among many other sources.

External links

• Network for New Culture website for NFNC
• Center For a New Culture website for CFNC
• Tamera English Website for Portuguese intentional community Tamera
• ZEGG English website for German intentional community and NFNC inspiration
• Sabine Lichtenfels
• Dieter Duhm
• Listing and description in Intentional Communities Directory

Articles on NFNC

• The Little Community That Could article in New ConneXion in May 2000

• The Heart Holds the Power article in Talking Leaves Winter 1999, then reprinted in New ConneXion in July 1999

• Washington Spark newspaper article from June 25, 2005

• Testimonial from a healer in Firetender.org

• 1995 article in sexuality.org
• Alternatives Magazine article from Spring 2003
• Network for a New Culture Camps Article in Communities Magazine #142 (Spring 2009): Festivals and Gatherings