After 1.5 intensive years, it is with a heavy heart that we have to stop our efforts. Unfortunately, our attempt to acquire the area jointly through a cooperative supported by the users was unsuccessful. The area has with the cdw foundation A new owner since summer 2023. Unfortunately, the subsequent discussions with the foundation about renting part of the area by our alliance did not lead to the desired result. Unfortunately, the core components of our concept idea could not be reconciled with the ideas of the cdw Foundation. We are now drawing conclusions and dissolving the alliance.

We will use the next few weeks to reflect on the process and to self-critically process our own contributions and our failures.
We would like to thank everyone who actively participated in the alliance with a lot of commitment or supported us in developing the vision of a self-managed cultural venue in Kassel and making it a reality. We wish those initiatives who, as individual actors, want to rent space on the WH22 area good luck and hope that the WH22 area will develop into an exciting place for Kassel with a different conceptual focus.
For the numerous actors who will unfortunately not be able to find space on the site, the search for space now begins again. The need for opportunities for cultural and social participation and spaces remains acute. Even if we were unable to implement our vision in WH22, we remain convinced that new approaches are needed to create open and low-threshold accessible spaces and to maintain them in the long term: Oriented towards the common good, developed cooperatively & supported by many: for the benefit of many Many.

More about this in our press release from November 27th, 2023:

Der Beitrag Bündnis „WH22 von Vielen für Viele“ löst sich auf erschien zuerst auf WH22 von Vielen für Viele.

Flea and DIY market | food | Music | Dance workshop | Soldering workshop | Drinks | Children's program | and much more

The “WH22 by Many for Many” alliance was founded in September 2022 to secure WH22 as a diverse place for art, culture and social engagement in Kassel in the long term. A joint purchase and self-organized management of the area was planned: by many for many.

At the beginning of 2023, the project took a new turn: since May 2023, the cdw Foundation has been the new owner of the site at Werner-Hilpert-Straße 22 in Kassel. The foundation also wants to preserve the place for cultural use: spaces for art and culture should be created at affordable rents. In addition, the foundation is planning to further develop WH22 with a new three-story studio building.

Of course, as a cultural alliance we would like to work towards revitalizing the area under the new circumstances and, together with the cdw, contribute to ensuring that the WH22 remains and becomes a diverse cultural venue that is open to urban society: we bring our ideas into the development process and hope to be able to rent the first rooms on the site soon.

WH22 by many for many is an open alliance of diverse cultural and social initiatives, non-profit associations and committed individuals who have been active in Kassel for many years and would like to contribute their knowledge and experience to the future design of WH22. We come from art & culture, cultural education & political engagement, urban design, music, dance & theater and all the blurring in between.

ideas? Participate? Write us: hello@vonvielenfuerviele.org

More info: Instagram | website

Many Alliance initiatives will contribute to the program, including:

Flea and DIY market (aka / Franz Ulrich)
Food (Food Council / Edible City)
Music (Franz Ulrich / aka)
Dance workshop (dance*work)
Soldering workshop (Flipdot)
Drinks (Lolita Bar)
Creative workshop (collective culture)
Children's program and much more

Der Beitrag WH22 Hoffest 2023 erschien zuerst auf WH22 von Vielen für Viele.

This spring, the cultural alliance "WH22 by many for many" wants to open up a space for culture and social commitment in Kassel. The aim of the WH22 initiative is to fill the historical area of the former ARM in Werner-Hilpert-Straße 22 with life again. After a brief use as part of the documenta
fiffteen, the area near the main train station is now largely empty again.

The Salzmann factory has been falling into disrepair since 2012, followed in 2014 by the demolition of the studios and clubs at Kulturbahnhof (Charging Street North) and in 2016 the end of the small cultural center HAUS on Mombach Street. Nothing remains of the ruruHaus and the infrastructure created during the documenta fiffteen. Leena Kötter from the Kulturbündnis says: “Especially for small cultural initiatives, affordable rooms are in short supply. But we need these spaces and the ones that come with them
Networks for our cultural work. So now we're creating it ourselves." On the WH22 site, secure locations are to be created and managed independently in the long term.

The usage initiative for the WH22 was created in spring 2022. Since then, a broad alliance of more than 70 cultural initiatives and individuals has developed, which has developed a financing concept and, in exchange with architects, legal advisers, the cultural office and the owner of the site, the Mietstück GmbH,
stands. In the spring of 2023, the premises are to be used for the first time with the aim of securing the building as a place for the independent cultural scene in the long term. As a first step, the initiative would like to rent other buildings on the site and would also like support from the city of Kassel. In order to ensure the long-term cultural and social use of the area, there are already plans to acquire the area in the long term through joint purchase.

A self-governing and open cultural space was already created during the documenta fiffteen in cooperation with artists. In the future, these principles of use are to be extended to the entire area: joint disposal of space and resources, collective financing and places for diverse cultural offerings such as exhibitions, concerts, studio spaces and open formats for the whole city. "We came to stay. What we have already achieved, we want to continue together with many and create independence," says Veit Wolfer - actor in the cultural alliance WH22 by many for many.

The alliance is currently working intensively on a usage concept and is developing ideas on how the WH22 can look like and be used in the future. "We are happy about everyone who wants to support us or bring their ideas to the area," says Domenik Töfflinger, a student at the Kunsthochschule Kassel and deals with the use and possibilities of the area.

The place lends itself well to text and photo reporting. Interlocutors and picture opportunities can be arranged for you.

For queries:
Email: hello@ofmanyformany.org

Der Beitrag Presseankündigung – Gemeinsam Stadt machen! erschien zuerst auf WH22 von Vielen für Viele.