As cultural workers, we suffer from larger societal problems, such as, but not limited to, housing struggles, fair pay, gender equality, discrimination, and racism. Whilst the understanding of the importance of solidarity is growing, more often than not artists are still portrayed as the individual in their studio. In reality, we see a plethora of active collectivising happening on multiple levels in solidarity and alongside other precarious groups. These acts of collectivising are a reaction to the larger societal problems and we find it important to amplify the artist as a collective to prevent isolation and create exchange.

Platform BK sees that collective work encourages artists to find support with each other and that it challenges them to grow and reflect, to stand stronger as a group, and to make themselves visible. Furthermore, collectivising is a response to the social reality where existing societal systems are lacking or are not supportive enough. In reaction to these lacking systems they recognize emerging bottom-up approaches, such as setting up social insurance (broodfonds) and social security, but also in new ways of living and working. To support these efforts they want to delve deeper into the question: what does it mean to collectivise, and how do you work together?

Collaboration Station is a 3-day event taking place at Gerrit Rietveld Academie and de Appel, which will attempt to answer these questions and create a deeper understanding of the role of collaboration and collective work of artists and organisations on artistic and societal levels in the Netherlands. We want to address three topics: collectives (collective work), financial realms of collectives (financial work) and unionising (existing work).

Saturday: Alternative economies for collective work
10pam: walk in
10.30am-1pm: Alternative economies by Katie Ceekay (language: English)
2-5pm: Session with Hackers and Designers, Working session with Platform BK, Platform for Plausible Economies with, and Benjamin Earl, Varia. Kate Rich (language: English)

Sunday: Become a member! Unionisation in the cultural field
10am: walk in
10.30am-1pm: Lobby Lokaal - Workshop on how to lobby. (Language: Dutch)
10.30am-1pm: Sepp Eckenhaussen and Koen Bartijn - Open Letter workshop (language: English)
2-2.45pm: presentation by Mia van den Bos about the history of unions. (language: English)
3-3.45pm: presentation by Marije Baalman (artist, researcher, financial director iii) (language: English)
4-5pm: Panel Discussion - Zoë Dankert (moderation), conversation with Charlie Clemoes (NAA), Fenneke Voorsluis (BBK), Peter van den Bunder (Kunstenbond), Ezequiel Menalled (iii) and Thomas Drissen (De Creatieve Coalitie). (language: English)

More information on the program and how to pariticipate is available on Platform BK's website!