The project Engine Room Europe has been funded with the support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. TEH has received operational grants from the City of Lund and the Swedish Arts Council. TEH Leaders Lab has been funded with the support of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The TEH Coordination Office is hosted by Mejeriet, Lund.

Members in Focus

Member in Focus is a place where we highlight a member centre that is going through particularly exciting times. Perhaps it is an anniversary or celebration, an important renovation or an amazing performance.

You can read about some of our members and their projects below. Does your centre want to be highlighted on the Member in Focus section and in the TEH Newsletter? Contact us!

Member in Focus: Off Limits (Madrid, Spain)



Off Limits (Madrid, Spain) is the newest TEH Member which joined us in October last year at TEH Meeting 72. To know more about the exciting work of the centre and its plans for the future, we had a Skype conversation with Off Limits´ Director Lurdes Fernández.

Interview by Plamena Slavcheva, published in January 2012.

Hola Lurdes! You have been part of Off Limits for many years - what inspires you in your work? And what makes Off Limits inspiring for the audience?
What mostly inspires me and makes me wake up with energy to go to work every morning is the opportunity to be in a constant contact with the artists, to work together in a team for the creation of projects. We talk to each other and put things in common, which is what helps us bring ideas to life by visualizing, vocalizing and incorporating physical elements. Off Limits inspires the audience because of three main reasons. First, in our centre the audience can access artistic content that is different from the one that could be seen in another commercial environment. Off Limits´ programme is abundant in projects that are more critical, transgressive, experimental and half-finished. Like a dish that is half-cooked but alive and fresh. Second, Off Limits is a centre that allows the direct contact with the artists. It therefore feels like being at home where everything that is happening is being shared with the audience. And third, this informal and flexible atmosphere definitely attracts more audience.

How do you work with sustainable development (recycling, gardening, building materials, etc.)?
The space that Off Limits occupies nowadays, a former bakery, was built up in 1908. The building has been totally restructured and is ecologically sustainable as it is equipped with solar power and biomass. These are also our main sources of hot water, which we need to generate in order to provide the space with electricity. In summer, we use the Spanish way of ventilation (laugh), which basically means that during the day we keep all the windows closed and in the night we open them. We use ecological air conditioning system that recycles and purifies the air. Besides, we water our plants with the water we obtain through a rainwater saving system. The walls of the building are all painted with silicate paint which is a non-plastic and natural alternative. And of course, we recycle paper, plastic and glass.

Till what extent are independent cultural centres in Spain united? Do you plan any activities together with other centres? 
We are currently involved in two networks: AAIM (Agentes Artísticos Independientes de Madrid/Independent Artistic Agents from Madrid) and the Trans Iberian Network. The main objective of both networks is to achieve the representation of the Spanish Independent Cultural Sector with an unique voice. AAIM is composed of 9 projects (6 of which do not have their own space). The relation between them is built on a constant collaboration for the creation of common projects. Some of the recent activities in which Off Limits has been involved are the festival IN-SONORA, where the centre acts as the host of some of the artistic pieces, and the magazine Acción!MAD, which is a totally independent cultural association, which presents its performances in Off Limits. The Trans Iberian Network is not yet fully functioning. Last year, we applied for funding to the Ministry of Culture for organizing our first official encounter but in the end it did not happen as the money we received was not sufficient for realizing what we were planning. Otherwise, the network currently counts with 13 members from Spain, but its goal for the future is to increase visibility in Portugal.

What does TEH Membership mean to your centre? Can you give a concrete example?
On one hand, by being part of TEH we have the opportunity to visualize the value of independent culture in Europe and to unite with other centres in the pursuit of common aims and goals. On the other hand, through our membership, we get a deeper insight into the projects of other TEH Members, which helps us identify future possibilities for cooperation. But it is not only about the projects, it is also about the people involved in these. And that is why I say that there is a special emotional ingredient, contained in TEH Meetings, which make possible the encounter between different centres and the exchange of ideas for future cooperation. For example, we are interested in creating a project together with UfaFabrik (Berlin, Germany) that involves artistic actions in three airports in Europe - Tempelhof (Berlin, Germany), Cuatro Vientos (Madrid, Spain) and Rolampont (Strasbourg, France). During TEH Meeting 72, we had the chance to discuss that personally with Sigrid Niemer from UfaFabrik and to present her our ideas for the future planning of the project.

What is Off Limits´ wish for 2012?
I have many wishes for the new year, but I chose one that will require a lot of work and resistance. Today Europe is going through a right-wing oriented political climate that seems to disregard the role and value of culture in society. Therefore, I wish that culture regains its perception as a fundamental social actor in the collective imaginary. 

Member in Focus: WUK (Vienna, Austria)



WUK 30...And it grows! With the intention to highlight TEH Member WUK's 30th Anniversary we had a chat with General Director Vincent Abbrederis about where the centre is today and its future direction.

Interview by Edith Salminen and Plamena Slavcheva, published in September 2011

Hi Vincent! WUK has been an important cultural actor in Vienna for 30  years. Could you give examples of the highlights of your/its existence?
WUK has in many ways been an engine ushering and paving way for culture in Austria. WUK established the first children’s theater and international dance festival in Vienna. What describes our work is a combination of artistic practice, social issues, labour and political engagement. WUK was established in 1979 after the period of the so called “Viennese Actionism”. These were revolutionary efforts between the 60s and 70s to develop the independent art sector and the cultural scene. It was in a way a miracle that WUK managed to transform a former locomotive factory into a synergetic model. People and politicians were frightened because it was an avant-garde step forward. That is why we can say that by saving the old factory building from destruction, WUK opened up a brighter future for cultural development in Austria.

Some of the highlights worth mentioning are the 140 concerts per year taking place in the venue. We’ve had performances by bands such as Pennywise, White Stripes, Sean Lennon and Eels. WUK also was the host of expositions by the British street artist Banksy and the group of women artists Guerilla Girls.

In your 30 year anniversary video, you’ve been described as “Eine Stadt für sich in der Stadt” (A city of itself). How do you interpret that?
This is absolutely true! WUK has also been called “The 10th Federal State of the Republik of Austria”. On one hand, it is because the structure of the building - it is like a maze of rooms and spaces. On the other hand, our programme areas offer activities for different generations. There’s something in WUK for everyone between the age of three until retirement. This is what happened to me - I started as social servant 25 years ago, I worked for a theatre group afterwards, I became head of the cultural department and since 2004 I am WUK’s general director. In other words, from a dish-washer to a millionaire. One of the founders of WUK worked in the centre until the age of 90.

What does TEH membership mean to your centre? Can you give a concrete example?
It means that the members of the network can support each other. It is like a melting pot for sharing know-how, cultural cooperation and ideas. It is also a way to make new friends and improve English skills through the biannual TEH meetings. WUK was part of the Changing Room project and Youth Exchange programme. Not to forget here is that this membership is also business in the sense of comparing and exchanging strategies and ideas. For example, it is useful to share WUK’s problems with another member of the network who is distant from the organization but has the professional capacity to assess the situation. And most importantly, everything is happening ‘within the family’ with a warm welcome.

Which are the challenges that WUK is facing at the moment?
WUK’s 30 year anniversary is taking place during the first week of October. That is why there is a lot of construction and renovation of the yard and the administration building, which WUK finances itself.

We invited the Mayor to inaugurate the birthday programme because 3-4 years ago we got into a conflict with the government. WUK is still waiting for a reconstruction contract. The other problem is that supposedly we are financed by the municipal department for culture, but they constantly refuse us to cover the costs for reparations that need to be done.

Another challenge we’ve experienced recently is related to the tensions provoked by the poster by Dolce & Afghaner, distributed in Vienna in July this year. These posters created a lot of polemic because the message was against the islamophobic philosophy of the Freedom Party of Austria. As a result we got many anonymous threats. In the end, we had to ask Mr. Strache, the leader of the party, to remove that issue from his facebook website. This is a growing problem we are facing as 27% of the Austrians vote for the right-wing parties nowadays.

What is WUK’s motto for the future? How does the European cultural sector look like from WUK’s perspective?
Currently, WUK counts with 200 000 visitors a year and offers a myriad of 340 different types of activities to the audience. It is the pacemaker of social and cultural life in Vienna and has left footprints on the city’s alternative, artistic and educational development. We are constantly thinking about alternatives to improve and innovate our spaces and work, which means that WUK is still growing and it should grow even further!

The way the European cultural sector looks from WUK’s perspective is that there should be more places for experimentation and innovation. The people involved in this area should be motivated for participation without leaving the thinking to others. This is how it could develop and grow.

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Member in Focus: Proekt_Fabrika (Moscow, Russia)

We had a chat with Elena Tupyseva, TEH Delegate at Proekt_Fabrika, who told us about their activities, the project Factories of Imagination and the importance of international contacts.

Interview by Stina Bülow, published in December 2009.




What is unique about your centre?
Proekt_Fabrika is a creative cluster situated in a paper factory that’s still is in use. The paper factory has a private ownership. The Director of the factory, Asya Filippova, rents out some of the facilities to cultural activities with low rents. It’s a private initiative - an initiative coming from the culture sector, not from the state. The Director of the factory is one of the curators of one of our two public spaces.

Can you give me some examples of your key activities?
Proekt_Fabrika hosts art exhibitions and has a cinema. Proekt_Fabrika also hosts several contemporary dance festivals. Our cultural centre is the only one in Moscow dedicated to Russian modern dance. we also participate in the Moscow art biennale and host a cartoon festival called Big Cartoon Festival.

What does the Trans Europe Halles membership mean to your centre? Can you give a concrete example?
Proekt_Fabrika opened in 2005. In Moscow it’s a new agenda to establish contacts and be a part of a network. TEH has a lot of knowledge about culture and  art spaces in factories. It’s important for us to be connected with the rest of Europe and to be a part of the network.

In 2008-2009 we've also been running a project in collaboration with TEH called Factories of Imagination. In this project we collaborated with TEH members Arts printing house, Melkweg and Mains d'Oeuvres. It is important to tell other cultural centers in Russia about TEH and make TEH more visible in Russia.

You just concluded the project Factories of Imagination. How did it go? Are you happy with the result?
It is rare you can present contemporary art in Russia. In general it is mostly established and famous art that gets to be shown, not younger, emerging art. This project is a new, fresh, experimental project. We mixed theatre performance, art projects and concerts. We organized 3 small festivals during 2009 and each festival presented artists from different cultural centres. In February we organized a small festival with Arts Printing House (Vilnius, Lithuania), in April we organized one with Mains d'Oeuvres (St Ouen, France) and finally in September we organized one with Melkweg (Amsterdam, the Netherlands). We wanted to do interdisciplinary art and amongs other things we organized a 'cinema concert' during Mains d'Oeuvre's festival. When I joined  Proekt_Fabrika I initiated this project. Towards the end of the project, we interviewed the Directors of the centres that participated. The result will be a film that we are editing right now. I think for us it went well, we are happy about the project!  

The Ford Foundation, that has been one of the most important funding resources for independent culture in Russia, just decided to close their office in Moscow. How is the future economy looking for independent cultural centres in Russia?
It’s a big question for us. We don’t know how we will finance our projects in the future. We have money for 2010-11 but after that we don’t know. The Ford Foundation is a rare exception in Russia with supporting projects. Mainly the independent art scene is financed with private money. You can get money from the Culture Department of Ministry of Russia but only small amounts and just for projects. Not money enough to cover fort the day-to-day expenses. We can only hope that the Ford Foundation will come back to Russia.

What are your centre's future ambitions?
I can’t really say, I can only speak of my part of Proekt_Fabrika. But I think that Proekt_Fabrika probably would like to keep the independent initiatives in the premises and expand towards the creative sector. We already see more and more initiatives joining Proekt_Fabrika. Some architects and a cinema just joined. I think that Proekt_Fabrika would love to continue to keep the level we already have and continue to work with international relations and contacts. To be visible in Moscow you have to have international contacts.

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Member in Focus: Laznia Nowa (Cracow, Poland)


Trans Europe Halles member Laznia Nowa just hosted the first TEH meeting in Poland. Magdalena Podziewska at Laznia Nowa told us about their center, activitiesand hosting the meeeting.

Interview by Stina Bülow, published in November 2009.


What is unique about your centre?
The thing that’s most unique with Laznia Nowa is our cooperation with the local community. Our neighbors are the actors in our shows. Everyone from little children to older people. There are also a lot of good musicians in Nowa Huta that we use in our shows.

Can you give me some examples of your key activities?
We have the theatre shows/festivals and the social projects. Laznia Nowa has two legs. It’s the artistic work and the social work. Neither is more important than the other. They are on the same level.

What does TEH membership mean to your center? Can you give a concrete example?
Laznia Nowa is in progress. We have started with local work but we grow bigger. TEH means that we can cooperate with more people and projects. We don’t have one right now but the network can be used for this. We can exchange experiences. A lot of the members in TEH do similar work and have the same kind of projects but different kinds of experiences.

You recently hosted the TEH meeting, have you recovered from that yet?
Haha yeah. We try.

What did you think about hosting the meeting?
It was a really great experience. It was a lot of work with responsibility. But it was really good to se all Europe at Laznia Nowa talking about such important things. I’m just sorry we didn’t have more time.

What are your centre's future ambitions?
We would like to have more really good and big international projects. But we take it step by step. We are in progress.

And finally, if Laznia Nowa were a theatre performance, what play would it be?
It would be one of our shows. They are all local produced. We are connecting Nowa Huta to our shows. And it could be any of them.

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Member in Focus: Mejeriet (Lund, Sweden)



This month we introduce Mejeriet, a venue for rehearsals, music and film, located in an old dairy building in Lund, Sweden. Since November 2005 Mejeriet hosts the TEH Coordination Office. Matti Kortelainen the Managing Director and Johan Widerholm the Programme Director answered our questions.


Interview by Zanda Zilgalve.
Published September 2009.


What is unique in your centre?
MK: Nowadays our strength is the brand of ''Mejeriet'', which is well-known among pop, jazz and rock musicians locally, nationally and worldwide. We have the best output sound in Sweden, also. But the most important thing is the passionate commitment from all our member associations and the approximately 200 volunteers that are active at Mejeriet.

Give two examples of your key activities...
JW: Music is one of our key activities and I would say that we are very good at supporting developing bands and artists. Since we have very flexible stages we have followed many bands who played at our smallest stage at their first visit and returned to play at our big stage. The Cardigans is an example I think most people have heard of.

Another example would be – from a different point of view – the variety of events during a day. For instance, on a Friday, there would be a children's play or movie during the day, later some rock or pop band playing and afterwards salsa dance evening. Days are filled up with different events.

Which of your events you would recommend to our readers? Why?
JW: Personally, I am very much into concerts and I think we have a strong program this fall. But I'm also very exited about DocLounge which will take place in our concert hall every week. We will show quality docs in a relaxed bar environment. We try to combine it with dj's, band, speakers etc that is in someway are connected to the film showing.

What does TEH membership mean to your centre? Can you give a concrete example?
MK: It is important for 'Mejeriet' to be in a European network of centers who work under the same conditions. Of course, there are also similar houses in Sweden, but with TEH we can prove to our city, the City council of Lund, that our activities are international. That is very important. Furthermore, we act in the European dimension with such activities as staff exchanges, for instance.

JW: It is a chance to be a part of European ''picture'' and a possibility to compare and exchange different experiences of TEH member centres. TEH meetings are the place where apart from official part you can enjoy informal discussions with both better equipped centres and centres in a more difficult situation. Another good example is a possibility to participate in EVS youth exchange projects acting as a sending and hosting organization.

How does the fact that you are hosting TEH Coordination Office influences your centre's activities?
JW: I think it makes TEH more visible in our centre and and Mejeriet more visible in the city of Lund, both for the population and at a governmental level as it shows that we are a centre with a European perspective. I would not say it influences our work content wise.

MK: Since ''Mejeriet'' hosts six different associations, people working there are more aware of Trans Europe Halles. They know a lot about the network. But I am not sure if that has an impact on collaborations between those associations and other members of Trans Europe Halles. However, it is nice to have the Office here! It is also a tool to maintain external relations with authorities in the region and whole Sweden.

What are your centre's future ambitions?
MK: For ''Mejeriet'' the main future ambition it is to become the most famous music venue in South Sweden. We will do it by arranging more youth activities. Until now we have accumulated deep knowledge of concert arrangement and that is something we want to share. We want to build a new building in our yard that will be a non-traditional multicultural place four young people with many daytime activities.

If ''Mejeriet'' would be an art-work or cultural event, what would it be?
JW: It would be an alternative modern musical film.

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Member in Focus:Melkweg (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)


The entrance to Melkweg by night.

Next stop: the entertainment area. If you hear this, it's time to jump off the tram. A stone's throw from the stop you'll find the Melkweg, a former dairy and one of Trans Europe Halles' founding members. We had a chat with Jon Heemsbergen, Marketing Manager at the Melkweg.

Interview by Anna Weitz, Published in August, 2009


What is unique about your centre?
Our long history - we started already in 1970 - and the combination of big pop concerts for audiences up to 1500 people and small shows with upcoming talents, alternative theatre and dance performances. This is unique in Holland.

You have already mentioned music, dance and theatre. Any other activities?
Yes – art house cinema, performances, media art and photography exhibitions are also part of our key activities. Sometimes we organise social and educational programmes around big events such as the recent EU elections.

You recently opened a new hall in collaboration with the City Theatre. What does it mean to the Melkweg?
With the new hall, the Rabozaal, we can really make a bridge between what they call high art and the low art, that we are doing. Damn, I hate that distinction! It's indeed nice to see that it's disappearing and that the Melkweg now has the opportunity to play an important role in filling this gap.

What kind of programming do you plan for the new hall?
We have upcoming concerts with Moby and David Byrne, which we're very proud of. The hall is perfect for seated, intimate concerts, but the space is very flexible and currently we also have an expanding international contemporary dance programme. Melkweg will organize 5 days of concerts and performances every month, the rest is  programmed by the City Theatre and Toneelgroep Amsterdam (the biggest theatre group of the Netherlands).

What is the Melkweg's audience like?
We have many different target groups. Some only come for theatre plays a few times a year, some come for club nights every weekend. One of our goals is to bring together groups that wouldn't meet otherwise and let them have a glance at each others subcultures. We always try to open up the different spaces so when the audience leave the theatre for example they can hear and see what is going on in the concert hall.

What are your centre's future ambitions?
Cor Schlösser, our Director, says that now after 40 years, the Melkweg is finally finished. We have grown substantially the last years. In 2007 we expanded our big concert hall and this June the Rabozaal opened. Now we will focus on growing in our programming and to use the space to its full potential.

What does TEH membership mean to your centre?
It's a part of our history and our Director Cor Schlösser even took part of the founding of Trans Europe Halles. Being part of TEH helps us to open our eyes to the world. It's stimulating both for the centre and the people here. Exchange programmes as CHANGING ROOM and The Lift are good examples. We were involved in the Europex  and personally I went to Buenaventura to teach marketing classes, which was one of the greatest experiences I've had!
The membership also means that we can help other younger centres that are going through processes that we had years ago.

And finally, if the Melkweg were an artist or a band, who or what would it be?
Ehm… if we’re very lucky, a modern-day Leonardo da Vinci. We try to be the ‘uomo universale’ of art centres!

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Member in Focus: ufaFabrik (Berlin, Germany)

Sigrid Niemer, Director of Communication at ufaFabrik, answers our questions about the only Trans Europe Halles member with its own built-in bakery.

Interview by Marian Söderholm, photos by ufaFabrik.
Published in May 2009

What is unique about your centre?
Our centre is the only one that has its own working bakery! Since 30 years back, we have been baking organic bread here. Several thousand loaves are baked and sold at markets and local shops every week. Of course we eat it ourselves, too. In Germany, bread is an important part of culture, just like music, dancing and painting. Primarily the business was set up to support the cultural activities financially, but it turned out it was hard enough to run a bakery in itself. Today it's more of a synergy; whenever we're out selling our bread at markets, we show customers the centre's programme and promote ourselves. In money terms however, there are no great benefits in running the bakery.

Give some examples of your key activities...
Our work is divided into three main areas; culture and arts, ecology and sustainability, and social development. We have a neighborhood centre for local people with over 400 activites ranging from sport and health to activities for pregnant women and young families, a kindergarten, flea markets, events, and a  childrens' farm.

Is there anything special on the programme at the moment?
Always! During the upcoming night of Berlin Opera and Theatre, we are doing a co-production with some english artists which will be broadcast by the local radio. It's a theatre piece based on interviews around the question ”What is your personal paradise?” There will be performances inside a tent we are setting up in our theatre venue, with about 40 people in the audience and 60 people on stage! It's mainly an idealistic production, not for earning money. Also, we are celebrating our 30th anniversary between June 7th -13th . We are planning a big gala event with music nights and varieté productions. As many of the original founders of the centre still work here, the celebrations will be about the centre and what it has meant to the people here for more than an entire generation.

UfaFabrik works with ecology and sustainable development - tell us how?
30 years ago, people thought we were crazy with our organic bread and our solar panels. We were pioneers in many ways. About three years ago, however, sustainability issues became more mainstream in Western European countries. All our bulidings are renovated in a sustainable way as far as possible and we have built our own water system. We also hold lectures and exhibitions about ecology and sustainability. This work has been financed by  the EU commission, the City of Berlin, and our own investments.
The childrens' farm is open for everyone, but especially city children, who often only know exotic animals from the zoo, but not what a pig looks like or where eggs come from. Here, they can keep their own pet, take riding lessons, and learn about nature in a practical way. We have pigs, ponies, rabbits, geese, chickens and guinea pigs, to name a few animals.

What does TEH membership mean to your centre? Can you give a concrete example?
We have been a member of TEH for 20 years. In the beginning, it was a major adventure to cross borders. There was no email, no mobile phones – it was big thing to call someone in Amsterdam or Brussels! Today, there are still borders but it has become easier to cross at least the physical ones. We hosted a TEH Meeting in 2004, which was exciting. TEH reminds us of the importance of keeping a wide perspective, and a possibility to cooperate with others who have similar ideas.

What are your centre's future ambitions?
We have many plans for the future. We have recently started a new renovation period, and have received money to renovate one of the buildings. We are hoping to rebuild our main  theatre venue as well. Now it looks like a traditonal theatre but we want to convert it to become more mulitdisciplinary and host more productions.

And finally, if UfaFabrik were a film, what kind of music would be on the soundtrack?
The title would definitely be ”The Constant Gardener” – part of the 2006 film was actually produced here! The music would be a mix of Brazilian, African, Korean, percussion, and jojk music, to represent some of the genres that are played here at ufaFabrik.

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Member in focus: Stanica (Zilina-Zariecie, Slovakia)

Martina Filinova, Director of Theatre Programming and Production at Stanica, answers our questions about the host centre of the next TEH Meeting.

Interview by Marian Söderholm, photos by Stanica.
Published in May 2009

What is unique about your centre?
Stanica Zilina-Zariecie is located in a small building that is part of a former train station. Even though it is a cultural centre now, it still functions as a waiting room for passengers because trains still stop here.

Give some examples of your key activities
Running the centre's cultural programme, which consists of theatre performances, concerts, exhibitions and artistic residencies - and community projects.

Stanica are hosting the next TEH meeting in May. How are the preparations coming along?
At the moment, we are completeing and confirming the programme. We are also quite busy with building the new theatre venue, which should be ready in time for the TEH meeting.

Tell us more about the new building!
It is built out of beer boxes and straw bales and the entrance will be made from a container. So far the container and most of the beer boxes have arrived... The building will be round in shape and it will be totally recyclable. In case it loses its function or is prohibited by local authorities, we can deconstruct it down to its building materials and use it for other purposes.

What does TEH membership mean to your centre? Can you give a concrete example?
Mainly that we get to know other people and centres who are also involved in this crazy and slightly utopian line of work. It means having many new experiences, and the possibility to compare what we do to others who work in the same field. We have also been involved in some exchange projects, hosting or sending theatre productions, exhibitions and so on. But the people are the most interesting aspect of being in TEH.

What are your centre's future ambitions?
To survive. To finish building our new venue and the garden area around it. And also to continue this luxury - producing and running a good artistic programme.

And finally, if Stanica were a song, what song would it be?
”Before After Midnight” by Punisher. Punisher is our half-illegal, half-secret and half-mystified band, like Stanica itself. So we are great fans of them!

Member in Focus: Kaapelitehdas (Helsinki, Finland)


Outside Kaapelitehdas (Helsinki, Finland) from the summer of 2009 from the anime and science fiction event Finncon/Animecon.

What is unique about your centre?
The fact that it was born 17 years ago and it's still alive... thanks to volunteers' work. I think we offer the quality of a professional structure with the warmth and passion of a non-profit organization.

Give some examples of your key activities
We are mostly focused on independent rock concerts & DJ:ing. Our musical program is known and followed even on a national level.


Is there anything special on the programme at the moment?
After more than ten years since our last theatre festival, we have now started a theatre programme. It consists of seven works of the most interesting and young independent contemporary Italian theatre companies. Also, we have started a small collaboration with a local jazz collective for a series of jazz concerts, hoping that jazz music will become a staple in our future music programs.

What are the challenges of being an independent culture centre in your country?
Getting funds is very, very hard if you intend to keep and enhance your identity; also, there is no effecient national independent cultural network that I know of, so it's hard to find information and share knowledge.

What does TEH membership mean to your centre?
The workshop given by TEH and Paul Bogen, focused on internal structure, mission and vision, was our first chance to think about the best way to work more effectively. More in general, TEH is definitively a great chance to get in touch with different ways of being independently and culturally active and it's a constant source of ideas and a positive drive. Finally, being part of a bigger network makes you feel safer, since we work in a country and a time where independent culture is constantly struggling to survive.

Interzona is participating in the project CHANGING ROOM. Can you tell about the experience this far?
Sara from the marketing department went to WUK, Vienna, and she came back with a lot of interesting things to say and a lot of food for thought. In short, WUK offered her the chance to experience how a cultural centre can be a place where you can learn how to be a young "cultural manager", something that in Italy is very difficult to do.

What are your centre's future ambitions?
We would like to widen our offer, to have more theatre, cinema and other artistic programs, and also try to interact with other local associations and with the neighborhood. We already involved a local group working on projects about integration and we are cooperating with Mali.

What is the Interzona audience like?
Nowadays it is mainly young people that come for the DJ sets but for some jazz concerts and theatre performances the audience span is from 16 to 50 and more.

And finally, if Interzona were a song, what song would it be?
Hard question! Interzona has many souls: a Fugazi's song would represent its proud independent side, a Massimo Volume (an Italian band we invited to play many times) song its efforts to establish a personal and special link with bands and people, and "Fight for your right (to party)" by Beastie Boys would tell a lot about Interzona's desire to be a happy environment where to have fun.

For more information about Interzona, please see the Interzona page in the TEH Member's database.

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Member in Focus: JOHAN Centrum (Pilsen, Czech Republic)




As pioneers in the field of artistic community work in the Czech Republic, Johan Centrum joined TEH to belong somewhere. Half year later, TEH delegate Roman Černík shares visions and experiences from the first Czech TEH member centre.

Pubished in March 2010

In October 2009 you were approved as a TEH member. What was your ambition to join?
We wanted to belong somewhere. In Pilsen, and also in the Czech Republic, we are doing an unusual work so we joined TEH to inspire and teach ourselves. Many people now ask us what TEH membership entails and how to become a member.

What does the membership mean to your centre so far?
We have friends and contacts all over Europe. Furthermore, the membership definitely increases our prestige when applying for grants and subsidies. Also, in the eyes of the city leaders we are suddenly more valuable. The fact that we are in a European network fits well, because Pilsen stands for European Capital of Culture 2015. One  concrete result from our membership is a symposium on industrial spaces that we held here in Pilsen in collaboration with TEH-colleagues from Tabacka Kulturfabrik (Kosice, Slovakia) and Stanica (Zilina, Slovakia).

What is unique about your centre?
I think that we are unique in our efforts on ‘interconnection’; we always aim at building bridges. We work with children and young professional artists, we produce performances of the local scene as well as of performers from Russia and Japan and parallel to the work with performances and exhibitions we organize public workshops. We try to link different kinds of visual arts and theatre. In addition to all this, it is very symbolic for us to use the old building of the railway station, which connects the two large parts of the city of Pilsen.

Give some examples of your key activities
During this spring we produce three regional festivals of children and students’ performing art. In April we have our big fest of new theatre, Big Inventory – a festival of alternative and research theatre makers. In the summer we will do workshops of special performance techniques – butoh, physical theatre or site-specific theatre. This time the site-specific project will take place in a old brewery area (no surprises there, we’re in Pilsen!).  

Is there anything special on the program at the moment?
Right now the local groups are completing their new productions for the theatre festivals taking place in March and April. One example is the all women’s group Evrybaby that are working on a Beckett play.

What are your centre’s future ambitions?
We would like to reconstruct the railway station along with the owners! Another thing is that we would like to turn our punk area to a place where you can be also during wintertime. We want to turn it into an open place where you get the chance to meet new people and be inspired to try some of the artistic practices.

What is the JOHAN Centrum's audience like?
Our audience consists mostly of young people and most of them are active in the arts or interested in culture and social activities. Many of these people will probably be the ones trying to implement their art projects here.

And finally, if JOHAN Centrum were a song, which song would it be?
Well, I don't know what my colleagues will say, but I would say something chaotic and punk. It could be a song from our friend Peter Váša (Czech physical poet and musician) or a song from Velvet Underground or Sex Pistols.

Read more about JOHAN Centrum in the TEH database
Visit the official website of JOHAN CENTRUM here

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Member in Focus: CuLTUREN (Västerås, Sweden)



CuLTUREN is the self-proclaimed "house where everything happens". One of Trans Europe Halles' newest members, CuLTUREN is a multidisciplinary centre where cinemas, theatre groups, experimental music collectives, local radio producers, art exhibitions, conferences, café visitors, college students, circus performers and many more share the same roof. It is located in Västerås in Sweden, a city with just over 100 000 inhabitants. Manager Matts Åker tells us how CuLTUREN became a member of TEH.

Interview by Marian Söderholm
Published in October 2010


What drew you to TEH?
I have been working at Culturen for about a year now. In the beginning, I started going through old folders and documents. A woman who had worked there before me had found out about TEH, but she hadn’t gone further than presenting the idea. I thought it sounded exciting, that it could add a lot to our centre. Some of our activities are very creative and focused on democracy, equality, diversity. These ideas already existed in the building, and the more I looked into TEH, the more interested I became. There is such a diversity of members in TEH – from tiny cultural centres to places like Melkweg in Amsterdam – and there are also several Swedish members. I started looking at the idea behind the network, cooperating in order to strengthen cultural expressions. I thought this suited our values, as well as the possibility to do things together that are impossible to do alone. To influence the cultural scene and policy-making is much more effective if you have a network, rather than sitting there screaming alone in Västerås!

One of my tasks was to enhance the collaboration between the different groups in our centre, and there have been many since the house was built ten years ago. When I saw the ideas within TEH, and the activities at the centres, I found that the network was bubbling with life. I thought if we become members of TEH, maybe we can experience this creativity ourselves, and help our members realise that they create our centre, it is their work.

I believe that what you do together needs a mutual vision. Many cultural operators are very much into their own area, whether it is theatre or film or something else. I thought TEH was a great connecting point, where we could gather around common issues in a democratic way. And I was right! I told our members about the CHANGING ROOM staff exchanges, and saw possibilities to learn from others, as well as sharing our own ideas and skills with people from other centres. TEH is a source of creativity, that we also can add to.

What are the key activities in your centre?
Culturen is an economic association, and a service institution for our members. I manage for example the music activities and the restaurant. Otherwise, the members themselves create their own programmes. We have the cinema, Elektra, who show films almost every day, often independent films. There is also a theatre company who show their premieres at Culturen, and who also tour a lot. There is a group who work with experimental music, a lot of jazz, who give concerts every week. Another theatre company work with young adults with mental disabilities, they are also very active. There is a college in the house, who are thinking about starting an artistic course. Touring companies come to perform here sometimes, and we also rent out our spaces for concerts and clubs. Also, we have a local radio station and a TV station broadcasting programmes every day, and art exhibitions where artists can show their work for free. And of course a café and a restaurant. There is an amazing activity in the house!   

Any special plans for next year?
My plan is to further establish our ideas about sustainable development, ideas that already exist in our centre. We need to look at how best to take care of each other, our building and our economy in a sustainable way. That was something I found very interesting in TEH – I was at the workshop at Mains D’Oeuvres this summer, and was very inspired. We also plan to produce a printed programme which shows all our activities, instead of having separate programmes for all the different residents. We also want to expand our activities even more, and we have some ideas for this, but nothing is decided yet.

What is a typical visitor at Culturen like?
There are no typical visitors! Our visitors range from small children to pensioners, depending on the activity.

If Culturen was a colour, what colour would it be?
It wouldn’t only be one colour, but three: red, yellow and green. These are nature’s colours. There is so much creativity and power in our centre, so it would have to be a powerful combination of colours!

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Member in Focus: A4 - Zero Space (Bratislava, Slovakia)



With its 200 events per year, A4 is a well-known and established cultural venue in the heart of Bratislava. Despite the last few years' struggles with local authorities, A4 is now the home of SKRAT theatre, Next Festival of Advanced Music, audiovisual clubs, exhibitions, film screenings and more. A4 - nultý priestor is Slovak for A4 - Zero Space. Luckily, there is a space for experimental and innovative contemporary culture in Bratislava today. Lenka Bednárová is the Public Relations Officer at A4.

Interview by Marian Söderholm
Published in December 2010

What is unique about your centre?
It is the only place in Bratislava which brings together experimental music, films that are not in normal distribution in Slovakia, and workshops on music and sound. We have our own theatre, SKRAT, which is an authorial theatre. It is very interesting, because they work with their own texts.

A4 is one of the newest Members of Trans Europe Halles. How did you become interested in TEH?
I personally became interested at the TEH Meeting at Stanica in Zilina in 2009. I was there and experienced the friendly atmosphere. We started to discuss membership and agreed that it would be a good idea.

What do you think TEH can give you, and what can you bring to the network?
We can learn together through practical experience. There is something similar in all our work, but also many differences. To bring everyone together and be stronger together, that is the main reason for us to be part of TEH.

What is a typical visitor like?
It depends – an audience member at a concert is different from one at the theatre, for example. At workshops and concerts, there is often a younger audience. At the theatre, the age is probably between 16-100. The theatre is not so experimental, it is more classical. Because the theatre is about the lives of the actors, it is also close to the lives of the audience. The experimental electronic and jazz concerts attract a younger audience, even under-16’s.

If A4 was a colour, what colour would it be?
Green! I don’t know why, becuase our logo is magenta...

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Member in Focus: Verkatehdas (Hämeenlinna, Finland)



Since the completetion of Verkatehdas in Hämeenlinna, Finland in 2007, a lot has happened. Ars-Häme and GalleriaKone are developing projects to broaden their networking, working towards wider international collaborative projects and creating new opportunities for their members. They operate in Verkatehdas in Hämeenlinna and an old army barracks as an artists' studio space, which now houses over 30 artists. And they want to involve the rest of TEH!

Interview by Marian Söderholm
Published in May 2011

Hi Edwina Goldstone from Ars-Häme and GalleriaKone in Verkatehdas! What's going on at your centre at the moment?
Verkatehdas is a canopy house for many cultural organisations, of which GalleriaKone and Ars Häme are two. The Arts Council of Häme is our neighbour in the building, and we are constantly working with them. At the moment we are looking to expand our networking and increase collaborations with other TEH members, specifically on a couple of projects connected to community art. GalleriaKone already has a strong relationship with community centres, and we also work with school children and the elderly using art as a bridge for communication. We do a lot of educational projects, mainly within contemporary art. There is also an increasing number of visitors from the international arena now, including new immigrants. So we started wondering, how can art be used as a language? How can it help immigrants integrate into a new society? Moving to a new country, you are given ”bread and water but never the sky”. Some move for political reasons and some have chosen to do it, but for everyone it takes time to understand and feel what the country is all about and its code of operating. We would very much like to create collaborative projects wtih TEH art practicitioners within this field of social integration. Projects that examine the different levels of living in a new cultural society, with all that it embraces.

What other projects are you working on?
This year we are organising Art Week in Hämeenlinna. Part of Art Week is a project which involves artists meeting with different businesses interested in collaborative projects. Artists can be sceptical to commercial businesses and vice versa, and this is a way of getting the two practitioners together. For example, there is a large sector of society left out of visual art, namely the blind. Setting up a projects with a company dealing with sound and maybe light technology could help the blind experience visual arts. A company brings a product, and an artist an idea – or the other way around. It’s about looking at how the company and the artist can benefit from each other.
There is an exhibition in GalleriaKone at the moment, in which the artist has collaborated with industries. The artist is present in the gallery a few days a week using a camera and printer from a certain company. He takes photos of people, which go up on the wall and constantly change the environment. The project is literally about contact, promoted through these portraits.

And what about your new building – you have recently taken over an old army barracks?
Yes, Ars-Häme took over the management of a space in 2010, which now offers 30 places for working artists. We are also setting up a print workshop for the use of members, which is also hired out for projects. We would like to set up a residency programme to be able to host visitors, aiding networking and collaborations. In September 2011, we have a satellite exhibition with Kiasma in Helsinki, documenting the growing relationship between China and Africa. There is an artist coming from Haiti, quite a long way! We have no residency programme at the moment, but this is a prime example of that it is needed.

Where do you envision your centre in the near and far future?
GalleriaKone is a small operator and we have only just begun to think about international collaborations. However, two TEH Members have already mentioned their interest in working with us, Röda Sten in Göteborg and City Arts in Dublin. It will of course take a lot of research and a lot of time, and funding is the crucial point. So in the near future, we will work on funding and moving forward with documentation. In the long term, we would like to set up a residency space here in Hämeenlinna to offer accommodation for artists for longer projects. We primarily work with visual arts but we are interested in interdisciplinary practices and working with theatre, film and performance. In 2012 we are planning a collaboration with international galleries, art practicioners and members of TEH. Being a member of TEH is absolutely vital for us. The networking and the sharing of information and experiences between members is very important.

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