The OuiShare Awards focus this year on rewarding change-making initiatives, in line with the OuiShare Fest theme "Lost in Transition". As there is an ongoing online vote, we would like to introduce you our 14 nominees and specifically ask them "What is the Change?" they bring through their initiatives. Read their answers and vote for your favorite projects until May 21st!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/bT_RmkMRTOM
Get to know Debbo52!
Nominated in the Collaborative Consumption category, Debbo52 is an art project incubator led by activists, artists and innovators to enhance growth of culture and creativity by offering shared space, technical assistance, administrative expertise and networking for young artists who are developing their own artistic projects. Khaoula Elbehi, Business developer at Debbo52 answered our questions:
1. What got you started with your initiative?
"The Tunisian association of Artistic and Numeric expression’s main goal was to promote the liberty of expression and help young artists and activists gather their efforts and sharing expertise in order to promote and create innovative projects. However, the main problem for those young artists is finding the suitable environment for this creation, as they struggle with finding a place where to rehearse and exercise the expertise which will foster and give their projects the framework to be executed. For this reason, we thought about a space that engender all these features and especially don’t apply to the lack of money hindering fact. Yet, Debbo52 is a co-working space and art project incubator that gathers artists and activists with experts and in which workshops, training sessions, projections and shows are held regularly and for free to visitors and especially the habitants of the area."
2. What Change does your initiative bring?
"As the business model we work with is based on Bartering: offering space, expertise and trainings in alteration with services presented by the participants and co-workers. Our initiatives aims to put all parts in association and organize a collective community around the artistic creation that is not subject to control or limited through difficulties we set previously. The critical position of the artist is the basis of its creative work. It is one of reasons which forbids us to continue to accept the practices of censorship, as same as the non –supportive policies or lack of sustenance and funding. So, our project is a collaborative support generated among people, artists and all parts to maintain the creation and realization of art works and putting it into action. Besides, the public is not here as a consumer rather a contributive or active participant in the whole process either as an audience, giving a service, sharing an opinion or giving an information or even any kind of support in exchange for free shows or exhibitions. This process encourages diversity and hopes to enlarge artistic practices off the beaten track and strengthen besides the acceptance of the transgressions of borders and the community presence and interference. In the field of art and culture the principle of collaboration to the individual’s points of view defended by various people applies quite particularly. Those who invest their energy, abilities and themselves nowadays into this initiative are aware that they contribute actively to creating a neo-emerging culture of collaborative communities and business models aiming to shape a part of the social movement and cultural field, especially."
Would like to support Debbo52?
And join us at the OuiShare Fest 2015 for the pitchs session!