#StopHatredNow – Towards a More Diverse Cultural Field, Helsinki 9th-11th of May 2017

#StopHatredNow is an intercultural and anti-racist platform that creates new discourse around diversity and anti-racist strategies organized in collaboration with several art and intercultural organizations. This year #StopHatredNow is directed to art institutions, artist, policymakers and other prominent figures in the art world. The aim is to explore power structures, otherness, representation and anti-racist strategies and create concrete tools through lectures, panel discussions and workshops. All free of charge. In addition the platform offers also performances, music and clubs in the evenings.

#StopHatredNow is held at Lavaklubi in the heart of Helsinki and this year the event is organized by UrbanApa, Culture for All, Cultural center Caisa, Interkult, Aalto University (ViCCA / CuMMA), Zodiak – Center for New Dance, ArtsEqual, The Finnish National Theatre’s Lavaklubi and Ruskeat Tytöt – media.

Program

TUESDAY 5/9/2017

What makes art art? Representation, aesthetic and norms.
The seminar discusses the concept of art and how certain knowledge and practices define what is considered and canonized as art. The aim of the workshop is to re-think institutional practices through a norm critical and post-colonial approaches. Discussion in English.

At 12:30-13:00: Lecture: KNOW YOUR ENEMIES! The bizarre history of the western concept, system and institution of art (in English)

A white, European, upper class male comes and reveals how and why the concept, institution and value system of the arts sucks. Why do we think abstraction is "higher" than the practical? Where does the list of 7 arts come from? Why is the mind more important than the body and how is it possible that we think of "deep" stuff mostly in ethnic Central European terms? Who invented "art with the capital A", its tacky cult of "genius" and what role does art research (a German 18th Century invention) have in this process? In the end: how and why does this conception still dominate our way of thinking and experiencing?
Lecturer: Max Ryynänen (Director, MA program Visual Culture and Contemporary Art at Aalto University)

At 13:00-14:00 Lectures (in English): What makes art art? Representation, aesthetic and norms.

Short lectures about the concept of art and how certain knowledge and practices define what is considered and canonized as art. The aim of the workshop is to re-think institutional practices through a norm critical and post-colonial approaches.
Lecturers: art historian and curator Giovanna Esposito Yussif and director and screenwriter Pauliina Feodoroff.

At 14:30-16:00 discussion (in English)

A discussion about the topics addressed above: director, MA program Visual Culture and Contemporary Art at Aalto University Max Ryynänen, art historian and curator Giovanna Esposito Yussif and director and screenwriter Pauliina Feodoroff. Rita Paqvalén acts as the moderator of the discussion.

At 17:30-19:30: a panel discussion: THE GREAT APPROPRIATION DISCUSSION! – Who is allowed to tell whose story? (in Finnish)

A panel discussion about cultural appropriation and power structures on the cultural field. Conversationalists: Harri Kuorelahti Artistic director of Zodiak – Center for New Dance, director and screenwriter Pauliina Feodoroff, music teacher, researcher ja blogger Minja Koskela and Maija Baijukya from Ruskeat tytöt -media. Choreographer Sonya Lindfors acts as the moderator of the panel.

WEDNESDAY 5/10/2017

At 12:30-14:30: Lecture and workshop, Gender diversity (in Finnish)

Artist Kenneth Sirén lectures about how to take gender diversity into consideration in the fields of performing arts and education. In the workshop the subject is explored through movement.

At 15-16:30: Lecture and workshop: DECOLONIZING THE STAGE – otherness and representation (in Finnish)

The session focuses on representations and mechanisms of othering from the perspectives of intersectional feminism and postcolonial discourse. Freelance writer Maryan Abdulkarim and choreographer Sonya Lindfors will provide concrete tools for understanding, viewing and analyzing present structures as well as strategies to dream of new ones.

At 19-19:30: Performance: OUT OF THE BOX (A mixed performance for a harp, a cello and some action!)

OUT OF THE BOX is a 30 min diverse performance concept that combines different musical trends and artistic manifestations through improvisation. Come and witness this joyful experience in real time Performance: Duo Cassag, formed by siblings Natalia and Sergio Castrillón.

At 19:30-22: Club with DJ

Meet and greet. Age limit: 18.

THURSDAY 5/11/2017

At 12:30-16:30: Discussion and workshop: Cracks in the glass ceiling! (in English)

Members and students of Aalto University's Visual Culture and Contemporary Art and Curating, Managing and Mediating Art community, Vidha Saumya, Noura Salem, Ziva Kleindienst and Vanessa Kowalski will, together with the enfant terrible of the Tallinn art world, Anders Härm, work on producing methods for breaking glass ceilings in the Helsinki art world.

At 19-22: Ruskeat Tytöt club (in Finnish)

Ruskeat Tytöt is a platform for racialized women that is created and managed by Koko Hubara. The evening includes a panel discussion and afterwards DJ Namulei plays RNB, hip hop and dancehall.

Organizers

#StopHatredNow platform is organized in collaboration with: UrbanApa, Culture for All, Cultural center Caisa, Interkult, Aalto University (ViCCA / CuMMA), Zodiak – Center for New Dance, ArtsEqual, The Finnish National Theatre’s Lavaklubi and Ruskeat Tytöt.

Program updates

facebook.com/stophatrednow
urbanapa.fi
lavaklubi.fi
#StopHatredNow event on Facebook

Accessibility

Lavaklubi has an accessible entrance (elevator on Itäinen Teatterikuja) and there is an accessible toilet. There is no induction loop. Guide dogs are welcome. More information about accessibility: p. 010 733 1331 (Mon-Sat 9–19).

More information

• UrbanApa's artistic director: Sonya Lindfors, sonya(a)urbanapa.fi, 040 5164420
• Producer: Terhi Pursiainen, producer(a)urbanapa.fi, 040 8675262

#StopHatredNow is a platform for more diverse and open-minded Finland maintained by several art institutions and intercultural organizations. At the heart of operation is a sense of community and unity, empowerment, collaboration and sharing of information and resources. #StopHatredNow was first organized in 2016.