The Idler Academy is now open, Londoner’s may be pleased to hear.
Aiming to recreate the “spirit of cultivated leisure” of the 18th Century coffeehouse, the academy will be serving coffee and cakes, selling books, and hosting talks and events. Visitors will be able to take courses in Latin, ukelele, embroidery, and growing food. Gavin Pretor-Pinney will be teaching cloud identification, John-Paul Flintoff will be showing guests how to make their own books.
“We want to liberate by giving people skills both academic and practical” says ‘headmaster’ Tom Hodgkinson. “We want to rediscover the pleasures both of creativity and the intellect, and help people to become self-reliant, capable and competent. That way lies liberty.”
If you want to visit, it’s at 81 Westbourne Park Road, London, and it’s open from 10am to 6:30 Tuesday to Saturday, and 11am to 5pm Sunday.
I don’t often get along to Idler events, but our philosophies have plenty in common, including shorter work weeks and the simple pleasures of community and friendship rather than consumption. Tom even called for a Make Wealth History campaign before I did.
The Earthbound Report 