Tools and Strategies

• Volunteering schemes: think about efficient volunteering schemes in order to main cultural organizing with less resources

• Self-financing: think about alternative funding systems such as self-financing in order to become less dependent on outside sources.

• Artist-run festivals and spaces[1]: think about artist-run structures, more  horizontal ways of organizing and team divisions, collectives and shared resources.

• Underground organizing: find ways to organize festivals in underground structures and spaces, or apply underground principles (such as anonymity or semi-closed off spaces) in order to maintain independence and create safer spaces for audiences.

• Legal structures: registration, NGO’s and foundations; think about what legal structures give you most flexibility and freedom in case political landscapes change.

• Strength of the individual and small communities: find ways to have impact with using little labor/human resources.

• Keep facilitating and organizing (safer) spaces for conversation.

• Importance of education: educate others and yourself through workshops, training programs and being in/open for- conversation with others.

• Participation: facilitate the possibility for a wide range of people to participate in activities.

• People as the ‘source of culture’; The idea that culture is something that is already within/ from the people and can be found in the very day things of life. Art, artists and cultural workers can translate this into concrete objects or experiences.

• Self-censorship: applying/accepting self-censorship in order to gain legitimacy within systems while simultaneously also organizing independent projects.

• Working with censorship committees: understanding and finding middle ways to work with censorship committees in order to continue work activities.

• Working around structures: find ways to work around structures and organize

• Metaphor and language: use language in creative/ metaphorical ways in applications and communication for safety or higher changes of approval of forms.

• Use of the digital[1]: explore possibilities of digital tools and spaces to create new and additional possibilities for culture, participation and organization. There is a separate toolkit on Digital technologies, which you can find here.

• Micro-scale festivals: explore the idea of micro-scale festivals, which have the possibility to create high impact for local communities and low resources. 

• Archiving: use archiving as means of shaping new identities and resisting enforced cultural formation.

[1] Recommended resources: https://www.thefestivalacademy.eu/en/media/45-digital-r-evolution-festivals-that-worked-and-festivals-that-didn-t-lessons-from-the-digital-world/ & https://sites.google.com/view/toolkits-series/digital-technology-and-festival-making?authuser=0

• Community and connection: try to find ways to strengthen (international) collaborations and relation.

• Solidarity: find ways to create solidarity for communities by for example speaking up, listening, supporting and collaborating.