Communique on money and The LRM to those who think i don't know when i'm being ripped off

The LRM is run entirely by volunteers. We do this for love and not money. This doesn’t mean we are all ideologically opposed to artists or theorists getting paid for their time and skills BUT the LRM is not an opportunity to make money or build a career.

Anti capitalist ideals are central to our project and we don’t want to add to the illusion that you need money to have fun or be creative. Not being paid does not mean the LRM has no value; rather it is priceless. Psychogeography is for everyone and anyone can be an expert; we don’t want to create a hierarchy where some contributions are more deemed important, and therefore more worthy of material payment, than others.

We do not and will not ever charge an attendance fee; there are many barriers to engagement with psychogeography and we don’t want money or lack of this to be one of them. (As an aside language and the academy are others; we strive to keep the situationist ideals alive on the street not in the classroom or cage; flanuers by their very nature thrive in the open air and we want to reach people who are alienated by the academic elite and corporate sponsored art. This does not mean we have not read your books or formulated theories but for now we focus on deeds not words)

We are open to all who are curious about our work. We did not invent psychogeography; we don’t own these ideas; we build on foundations laid by illustrious forbears and our work, in turn, will be destroyed by those we inspire. Any and all contributions to our project are welcome and anyone can post to the website if they wish. We embrace outsider art, DIY creatives and self taught mavericks alongside those with traditional skills and specialist knowledge; within the LRM those distinctions dissolve and all ideas are valid.

There is an element of trust implicit in our openness and I know we (and myself personally) have been exploited because of this but I’d rather meet 20 good people and one rogue than be closed to our community so we will continue with this folly and trust in natural justice that those who disrespect us will never find what they seek here.

There is no psychogeography anymore; there are multiple versions, as many stories as the city can hold, infinite and contradictory. We welcome diverse views, it makes us richer and stronger and more interesting. This isn’t just a nice ideal; we mean it as demonstrated by that symbol of new Manchester The Beetham Tower. Some of us call it Satan, others call it home (personally I’m bored of it now; we dissolved it so now its irrelevant)

We own the city but it’s not ours to sell. Play is a fundamental human right; we want you to join us having fun. It would be rude to ask you to pay. Of course others think differently and that is their right.

My favourite slogan from May 68 is “Forbidding is not Allowed” and we welcome other groups and ideas; there is enough room for us all and psychogeography deserves multiple interpretations and manifestations. The revolution always fails because factions argue about the correct way to tie shoelaces; we don’t want to get distracted by petty squabbles and so respect your right to make money and artistic reputations on the back of our hard work, we just ask you do not steal our unique identity too.

Selling out is a bullshit notion; we live in a recuperated society where everyone is compromised. We believe in being true to your soul and looking beyond the material and we hope others will not exploit us for this. We don’t knit our own internet or live in on the big rock candy mountain. Most of us have day jobs; some may have a psychogeographical element to them (mine does not) None of us can claim purity of soul or deed. I do not know my price yet but I may one day be offered enough to abandon my principles and all that I cherish. I hope not but people are subject to change as much as cities

We believe in honest and transparent communication so to be clear: The LRM have received small amounts of money in the form of grants and donations. They came with no conditions and have gone towards group activities, notably during Get Lost.

Money has been spent on flyers, leaflets and artists expenses (travel, materials etc) because people should not be left out of pocket if they choose to work with us. However no one has been paid for their time or received any wages. All expenditure was approved at open meetings and you are welcome to see our accounts. I personally have lost money and not received any expenses because I choose to subsidise LRM activities but I will not be a martyr to the cause and do not expect others to do the same.

To the LRM it seems self evidently hypocritical to rally against consumerism but charge people for the privelege of hearing us. It would be as wrong to instigate a membership fee as it would to fill public space with advertising and petty restrictions. The streets are our playground and the best games are ones we invent. Don't just be a spectator: join in, become us, make mistakes and grow with us as we discover new universes and old.

We are re-imagining the world we want to live in, creating it ourselves and redrawing the map in our own image. This is far too big an opportunity to squander away haggling over something as vulgar as cash.

Please join us in our mission to keep psychogeography free and for everybody; we can’t offer you money but open your heart and mind and leap into a world of treasures beyond compare with The LRM. It’s a way of life but not a lifestyle choice