Introduction of the project
In Kolektivole we are convinced that collectivism is the engine of change. We stand as a self-governing cultural community that fervently believes in the transformative power of collaboration. In our pursuit of a more just world, we celebrate diversity and advocate for authenticity, where every voice, every perspective, becomes a fundamental pillar of our shared story.
We are a multicultural team made up of over 10 nationalities, many of us Spanish-speaking. For many years, we met at cultural events and formed strong friendships.
Through these meetups, groups formed into what are now known as Asamblea Abierta de Praga, Biblioteca Popular Pablo de Rohka, and NuRadio. Consequently, the need for a space where we could grow as a community became ever-present. After a few months of searching, an opportunity arose to use the former mint in Prague's Holešovice at Letohradská 10. With the help of the above-mentioned collectives and the wider Kolektivole community, L10 was able to develop its program.
The initial motivation paid off, and managed to lay a solid basis for the project. Even before finishing our first year, many new people joined the space, contributing their energy, creativity and new ideas to strengthen the community. Unified, we managed to form the association Kolektivole z.s. at the end of 2023.
Today, we are facing a new challenge; being forced to leave our beloved space in Letohradska 10. Because of this, we are searching for a new home where we can continue our regular program, which we believe is unique within the cultural scene in Prague.
Activities organized by Kolektivole in L10
Since the beginning of the project in February 2023, we have produced over 250 cultural, community and artistic events. Within this time, Kolektivole developed a regular monthly program, varying from literary and artistic workshops, weekly concerts, to film screening and mini-festivals.
L10 is home to three permanent group projects: the Ňu Radio, the Biblioteca Popular Pablo de Rokha (BPPR) and the Asamblea Abierta de Praga (AAP).
Ňu Radio is dedicated to producing podcasts and recording live concerts. The L10 space hosts Switch Sessions every Friday, where live concerts by emerging musicians are recorded and streamed.
BPPR is a library containing books in Spanish and Catalan. These are available for loan to its members. Once a month, it organizes thematic literary workshops with the intention to share and discuss a selected text or chosen theme. In addition, it organizes thematic festivals linked to the traditions of Latin American countries.
Asamblea Abierta de Praga is an activist group focused on political and social debate. Members meet once a month to discuss current issues such as feminism, postcolonialism, and pacifism amongst others. They held the first monthly film screenings in L10, during the winter of 2023, and occasionally host panel discussions with different experts.
These projects crystallized into the L10 cultural residency and the non-profit Kolektivole z.s.
All of this would not have been possible without the tireless work of Kolektivole's administration at L10, the members of Kolektivole's projects, and the volunteers who have lent a hand or supported us financially. Finally, we would like to recognize the chance that Prague 7 took on us through their local grant program, in the winter of 2023.
What are we going to use the money for?
The money will be used mainly for our active projects to keep their programs running without a physical space. Because of this, we will also lose the possibility of earning income for our projects. Therefore we need help to cover the cost of transporting our belongings as well as things we will no longer need.
Audiovisual equipment
In order to keep producing our events once we leave L10, we will need to complete our sound equipment. This will help us maintain our regular program, like the Switch Sessions or being able to hold film screenings and panel discussions.
Funding for active projects
While we look for a permanent long-term space, our hope is to maintain our active projects afloat by keeping our regular program running. Due to losing our own place, we will now have to take into account expenses such as transportation of equipment, booking fees, and potential storage spaces. By continuing our regular program in spaces where other collectives reside, we hope to build new connections leading to further cooperation and artistic development, on both personal and collective levels.
Website (digitalization of the collective)
To maintain Kolektivole alive during this period of transition, we believe it is important to consolidate our presence digitally not only personally. We would like to develop our own website in order to be able to share our vision, values, and archive with our community and those who might want to join. Taking into account that we will no longer have a physical space, we also understand the importance of maintaining our online community and presence in our social media active and accessible.
Relocation of the center (rent, energies)
Our goal within the next 6 months is to be able to find a new place to call home. For this, while we keep our projects afloat, we will be actively looking for spaces where we can keep growing as a community, with autonomy and comfort.
We want to continue to have a space to live in, that we can use as a community space to continue to produce events and to be able to come together to continue to build a sense of community.
With this campaign, Kolektivole hopes to keep the momentum of the last two years running, in order to keep fostering the sense of community and dedication that every one of us has put into the project. For this, we ask for a total of 340,000 CZK.
