SOU Community Calls & Demonstration
We started this community action by setting up community calls with the SOU network and with connected enthusiasts. From January until June 2021 we hosted weekly community calls, varying from 10-35 attending spaces, activists and enthusiasts. The calls were focussed on establishing a narrative and to develop ideas for communal actions and additional forms of content, such as a radio show and a zine. The aim is to amplify storytelling and knowledge transfer, for and by the community.
One of the outcomes of the calls was the need to work on concrete and physical actions. During the pandemic we saw many local and international independent cultural spaces disappearing due to lack of income and government support, or being evicted, helped by the lack of community coherence and gathering possibilities. We decided that a physical demonstration around this topic would be a good first public outing for Space of Urgency.
Weekly meetings were set up with a diverse group of Berlin-based collectives. The route and safety arrangements were confirmed with the police. A large group of activists worked on making the demonstration happen in Berlin on June 12th 2021, with over 3000 participants. Here the SOU community physically manifested and amplified voices of solidarity for spaces of urgency that are under threat in Berlin and beyond. With the support of artists such as Nicolas Jaar, DVS1 and Freddy K, we used music as a mobiliser to amplify this message to wider streams of youth culture.
