The 2026 Global Edition of the Open Science Retreat will take place on April 7-11, 2026. Applications will open in October 2025, sign up to our newsletter to be notified when applications open.
Venue
The venue for this event will be the The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales, UK.
We’re really excited about this venue, and think it’s going to be a great fit for us!
The community at CAT has a long history of thinking about how to instigate radical change in complex environments. We’re looking forward to learning more about the history and future of CAT, and thinking about where the interests of our communities overlap and where we might be able to collaborate.
Over the years the CAT community has created a beautiful space which should provide an excellent container for us to connect, work together, and recharge. The site is set in woodland, so we’ll be able to go on walks from the door, or work outdoors if the weather is good. CAT has also been a space for innovative and sustainable architecture experimentation for many years, and so the buildings are beautiful and fascinating in equal parts!
Travel
We encourage people to travel by low-carbon means where possible, and will support people to do so where possible. When Danny travelled from London to check out the venue they took the train to Machynlleth, changing at Birmingham New Street, and the total journey time was 4 hours. For booking trains in the UK we recommend traintickets.com.
Note that Eurostar trains from mainland Europe arrive into King’s Cross St Pancras railway station, whereas trains to Birmingham generally depart from London Euston. There is a ~10 minute walk between the two stations.
From Machynlleth Railway Station there are two buses (the T2 or the G24) which can take you the final 5 minute drive to CAT. On 7th April the T2 is due to depart at: 1024, 1224, 1424, 1624, 1824, 2024, 2224, and the G24 at 1105 and 1305.
If taking the bus, you’d take it to the Pantperthog bus stop, and from there it is a 13 minute walk to the venue (including ~5 minutes up a fairly steep hill at the very end).
Alternatively there are local taxi companies - we have been recommended this one.
If folks need overnight accommodation recommendations in London or Birmingham to break the journey please get in touch. We might be able to help arrange a group booking or accommodation with friends.
Visa Applications
Please apply early for visas where required. To check if you need a visa please visit: gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
DRA may be able to provide or arrange some assistance, such as providing invite letters, but please reach out to us as early as possible.
FAQ
What’s the food like?
The menu will be fully vegan for this event, and we should be able to cater for additional dietary needs - there’s a section on this in the registration form.
For further info (and some yummy photos) see CAT’s page on catering.
Is the wifi good?
Yes! We tried to test how fast it was, but the CAT firewall blocks speed testers. It was fast/reliable enough to have a zoom meeting with no issues though.
Is there a space for me to take a work call if I have to?
Yes! We’ll be able to find/make quiet spaces. However, speaking from personal experience - if at all possible it’s great to try and leave the outside world for a few days when attending the event so that you can be as present as possible.
Other questions?
If you have any questions about the venue or travel, please get in touch.