In 2014, a new festival was launched in London with a focus on social innovation. Think you’ve seen it all before? This festival was genuinely different.

Born out of frustration manifested through attending events of similar subject matter and seeing the same people and having the same conversations. Where were the unusual suspects? Realising that connecting with others who might have a different perspective on an issue can help us to imagine new possibilities and develop different solutions and outcomes, SIX (), Collaborate and the Caloustse Gulenkian Foundation launched Unusual Suspects.

This year, the three day festival of ideas, solutions and debate came to Glasgow, hoping to explore what happens when social innovation meets collaboration and how together we can meet some of society’s most pressing challenges. Guests from Glasgow, the wider UK and further afield were presented 20 exciting sessions exploring social innovation in practice.

Not only helping SIX to create a unified festival, Snook were delighted to host the Snook Café at our new events space – The Interchange Glasgow, 84 Miller Street. Open throughout the festival, our cafe-come-workshop allowed guests space to reflect on learnings from sessions, carry on the conversations they had begun there and to begin to develop new collaborations. Our team were also hard at work synthesising the Reflection tools coming in from sessions and helping to make connections between guests. Additionally, closing drinks were hosted at the Snook Cafe – welcoming festival guests and hosts to our space for one last chance to make those unlikely connections.

We look forward to welcoming SIX and the Unusual Suspects Festival back to Glasgow next year.