Gli Spazi Sicuri Non Esistono - Workshop
By: Alice Novello (testemobili), Azzurra Galla (GAGA Vicenza), Giulia Celsan (Life is Strage), Jessica Talpo (è tutta scena), Vittoria Brandoni (Rescue Cat, Scena Muta).
SAFE SPACES DON’T EXIST, June 2024
Are the spaces we occupy during concerts and festivals truly safe? Is the concept of a "safe space" achievable, or is it more of a guiding principle than a reality? This workshop delved into these essential questions, inviting participants to critically examine the environments we create and inhabit within the music and festival scenes.
Born from a collaboration between testemobili (a cultural association), Life is Strage (a DIY festival), è tutta scena (an initiative against gender-based and sexual violence in the punk/music scene), GAGA Vicenza (an association for queer and migrant teens), and the Plebeians Crew (a hip-hop collective), this workshop combined diverse perspectives with a shared commitment to fostering safer, more inclusive spaces.
The workshop began with participants introducing themselves, sharing their pronouns, and discussing their expectations. Each person also wrote down what a "safe space" means to them, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of the topic.
Participants were then divided into three groups, each representing a different role in the event ecosystem: performers, event organizers, and attendees. Through role-playing exercises, each group tackled the same central question: "What makes a space unsafe, and for whom?" This exercise helped participants see the challenges from multiple perspectives, revealing the complexities involved in creating truly safe environments.
After the initial discussions, the groups switched roles and focused on developing practical solutions to the issues identified by the previous group in their original role. This shift in perspective was crucial in fostering empathy and understanding between different stakeholders in the music and festival scenes.
The workshop concluded with each group presenting their findings and sharing how the exercise impacted them. A final discussion allowed participants to compare their initial ideas of a safe space with the insights gained during the workshop. The session closed with a collective reflection on the steps needed to implement these ideas in real-world scenarios.
This workshop provided not just a space for conversation, but a platform for actionable change, empowering participants to take what they learned and apply it to their own roles in the music and festival communities.
