Activate is a gathering on Cortes Island, BC where organizers, strategists and storytellers across movements connect and learn from each other about what is working, what’s not and how we can work together towards winning progressive change.
Progressive work can be urgent, inspiring, exhausting, and isolating — often all at once.
Activate is a five-day gathering on Cortes Island for people who want to step back from the daily churn, learn from campaigns that are winning, and guaranteed, you will return to your work with sharper strategy, stronger relationships, and renewed energy.
Across North America, organizers face rising inequality, democratic instability, climate crisis, and deepening social divides. But they are also winning bold, practical, progressive victories.
Activate brings you together with the people behind those victories — and those ready to build the next ones.
Over five days, you’ll have the chance to:
This is much more than a conference. It is a chance for you to learn with peers, test ideas, deepen your practice, and reconnect with why this work matters. The work we are doing is urgent. We need all the skills we can to win, and you’ll discover many of them at this special event.
Join us on Cortes Island to explore what transformative solidarity looks like in practice — and how we build the power needed to win together. You’ll be re-inspired. Reenergized. And return home with proven ideas you can use in your work.
Fill out the form and our team will help answer your questions:
Re-inspire your work, and be challenged by new ideas. World-class leaders will share game-changing secrets from their winning campaigns and engage directly with fellow participants with:
Gain insights from leading strategists, campaigners, and organizers, including:
We need a diversity of voices in the room. To address economic barriers and ensure frontline community leaders can participate, Hollyhock offers a limited number of scholarships.
Apply for a Scholarship by June 30, 2026: Learn more about scholarships and apply here.
Juhi Sohani, Action Co-Lab
The producers and advisory team behind Activate are movement leaders and strategists, curating the conversations and speakers that matter most.
Activate is a five-day gathering for organizers, campaigners, labour leaders, movement builders, and advocates who want to strengthen their work and learn from others across the progressive movement.
Through workshops, case studies, peer learning, and strategic conversations, participants explore what’s working, what isn’t, and how we can build more effective movements together.
Activate is designed for:
Whether you’re organizing locally or leading national campaigns, you’ll find practical lessons, new connections, and opportunities for collaboration.
Participants learn directly from organizers who have won campaigns, overcome challenges, and adapted to changing political realities. Sessions are designed to encourage honest conversations, practical problem-solving, and peer-to-peer learning. Activate gathers some of the top movement organizers across North America.
Topics for Activate 2026 include:
No.
Activate welcomes both emerging and experienced leaders. The program is designed to support participants at different stages of their organizing, campaigning or communications journey. No matter what level of experience you have, you’ll learn something new at Activate, both from sessions and from your fellow participants.
Activate features organizers, strategists, labour leaders, campaigners, researchers, and movement builders from across North America. Check out our Program Guide and some of our speakers here.
Activate focuses on progressive organizing, advocacy, labour, and movement building.
The conference is non-partisan and centers practical lessons about building power, strengthening communities, and advancing social, economic, and environmental justice.
Your registration includes:
Participants can travel independently or reserve a seat on the Activate Participant Charter, which includes coordinated transportation from Vancouver and Nanaimo.
A typical day includes:
The schedule balances structured learning with time for connection and reflection with fellow participants. Check out the Program Guide here.
Yes.
Networking is a core part of the Activate experience. Participants connect through facilitated discussions, peer coaching circles, meals, informal gatherings, and collaborative workshops.
Many attendees leave with new partners, collaborators, and lasting professional relationships.
Yes. A limited number of scholarships are available to help reduce financial barriers to participation.
We particularly encourage applications from individuals and communities that are underrepresented in leadership spaces, including Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, newcomer, disabled, youth, and elder communities.
Scholarship are due June 30th. Information and application details can be found here.
Hollyhock is committed to creating an accessible and welcoming experience. Learn more here.
If you have specific accessibility requirements, dietary needs, or accommodation requests, please contact our team before the event so we can support your participation.
Many participants attend with support from their employer, union, foundation, or organization.
Activate combines professional development, leadership training, strategic learning, and networking, making it a valuable investment for organizations seeking to strengthen their campaigns and teams.
We also provide a “Pitch Activate to Your Team” resource to help participants make the case for organizational support.
Expect a relaxed, collaborative environment where learning continues long after sessions end.
Some of the most valuable conversations happen over meals, during walks around campus, or while connecting with fellow organizers between sessions.
Participants consistently tell us that the combination of practical learning, meaningful relationships, and the natural setting makes Activate unlike any other conference they’ve attended.
Still Have Questions?
Contact the Activate team and we’ll be happy to help.
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Package Pricing: You can view availability of accommodations and rates on our Registration Page.
Learn more about our accommodation types here.
Your investment includes full access to this 5-day program, including workshops, plenaries, peer coaching circles, faculty mentorship, and ongoing access to the Activate alumni network. Program fees vary by accommodation type and fall within the following ranges:
Many organizations already budget for consultants and external training-why not Activate? If you want your workplace to support your attendance, Pitch Activate to Your Team: Here’s Why It’s Worth the Investment [email template]
Let us handle the logistics. Travel to Hollyhock hassle-free with the Activate Participant Charter. With pickups in Vancouver and Nanaimo, you’ll ride in comfort, connect with fellow participants, and take in the beauty of the journey. Your trip wraps up with a 30-minute boat ride across the Salish Sea—keep an eye out for whales, seals, and eagles.
If you’d prefer to organize your own travel to and from Hollyhock, check out our Travel Directions page for suggested options and costs.
We want everyone to feel fully present and supported at Activate. Learn more about accessibility at Hollyhock or reach out to [email protected] for any specific needs.
Hollyhock recognizes that economic opportunity is not currently equal. Our scholarship program is one of our key strategies to expand program access to underrepresented and marginalized communities. A limited number of scholarships are available with awards ranging from partial to full tuition
We encourage applicants from those whose identities intersect with, but are not limited to: Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, newcomers, youth, and elders
Scholarships are open! You can apply here – applications close June 30, 2026.
“I recommend Activate to anyone looking to recharge, find community, and reconnect with their values or their sense of purpose and agency. You will leave transformed.” – Kate Catherall, Founder and Principal, Slow Clap & Co-founder and Board Chair, Arena
“Activate Hollyhock was like a week of masterclasses in life. The knowledge and skills I gained were invaluable. I’m taking home a refreshed mindset, a deeper understanding of the world, and a notebook full of ideas. This is education re-imagined.”
