Utopia is a project of teenagers and young adults of STREET COLLEGE, a project of Gangway, Straßenensozialarbeit in Berlin e.V.
About the project
Utopia is a project of teenagers and young adults of STREET COLLEGE, a project of Gangway, Straßenensozialarbeit in Berlin e.V.
The Corona pandemic and the resulting lockdown, as well as ongoing measures and the uncertainty of how everything will continue, have triggered a need among the youth and young adults to express themselves artistically on topics that currently occupy them. In addition, there is a strong desire for collaboration, exchange, inspiration, and a common goal. Thus, the desire for a joint project has arisen among the students. In conversations about “What does freedom mean?” “What does freedom mean to me?” “How do I want to live?” the overarching theme of utopia was developed.
The idea developed during a summer camp in July 2020. For one week, young people met at STREET COLLEGE to develop ideas together, initiate projects and exchange ideas. They sang, wrote lyrics, filmed, jammed, produced, designed and sewed, recorded in the studio, exchanged ideas, tried things out and much more. There were no limits to creativity. Instructors were on hand to answer questions and help with problems, but otherwise the participants were free to decide how, where and when they wanted to be creative.
Thanks to a grant from the Cultural Education Project Fund, the project was able to continue late in the fall, to the delight of all involved. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the meetings now took place digitally and no longer live. Since October 2020, further ideas have emerged in numerous Zoom meetings, on which participants have exchanged ideas and supported each other in their realization. The project’s artistic sparring partner is the musician and producer Alexander Hacke.
Because the project cannot take place on a stage as originally planned due to the hygiene measures in connection with Covid-19, this website was created. On the one hand the participants present their works and on the other hand the site is designed in a participatory way.
In addition to a survey on utopia, in which every visitor is invited to participate, everyone – whether a previous participant in the project or not – has the opportunity to fill the website with additional content on the topic of utopia and submit it.
The goal is to motivate to be creative and to develop and implement ideas in this extraordinary time. This page should bring joy with its content, make you think and inspire.
