WHO ARE WE
We are a group of responsible citizens, a group of people from many different backgrounds.
Musicians, clubs, music enthusiasts, students, workers, young and old united by the need to identify new places to promote music and gatherings in Padua.
PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS
Padova; a desire to have fun on one side and a hard line against social deterioration on the other. Today Padua is considered by many young and older people a dead city, a city devoid of initiative, and has been dubbed by many "a senior-friendly city."
This is not a new issue, but has been pushed back into the limelight in the first few months of 2011 ... because of a few news items and for the tough decisions of the municipal council to close several local clubs which are meeting places for both students and professionals alike: a final move that threatens to last for many years.
It must be noted that for several years the city's historic center has been under municipal orders that require all premises to close at midnight; often after this hour you can encounter the police and the military who control the territory of the city center. The town is now very quiet to the delight of some of the residents, but according to other citizens it is rather very creepy and sad. Filling the city with police in the name of social peace has resulted in the strange effect of emptying it of citizens.
First, years ago, the cinema disappeared from the city center, which was then followed by several clubs and bars and finally the Appiani arena. Over the years, many more new laws have been introduced aimed at limiting hours, administration of alcohol, and phasing out of many initiatives born from within associations and clubs.
To date, in a college town such as Padua, there is no public transport at night and at the weekends the buses only go half of the route, forcing anyone who wants to socialise after 8pm to get around by car or bicycle.
For many years, Padua has offered leisure activities that are often inaccessible to young people, who at best are students or have little money to spend and at worst are unemployed.
Our Mayor Flavio Zanon, has taken steps to clean up the city near the bars and clubs that are "again" disturbing the holy peace. With drawn swords, the entertainment associations and clubs in via Bernina (district Arcella) are being defended: "These premises are the history of the fun of Padua and there is no reason to adopt a policy of prohibition."
The scenario is daunting, the offer of evening entertainment is poor, fragmented and confined to the most squalid places of the city.
The desire to socialize, the need to communicate and be together, the desire to hang out in their free time and freedom of expression are in serious danger because of a strained cohabitation between noisy young people and uncompromising families. Very often, young people are seen as a problem and not as a resource, likened to drug dealers and addicts, to predators and vandals, all lumped in together in the same place.
According to the club/bar owners, the mayor's laws only protect a certain group of citizens and severely punish local business people and those who work within the premises (often a few people who look after the clubs/bars). Moreover, the idea has spread among "friends" in the higher society network, that this activity will cause damage to the local economy, with the consequence of impoverishment of the city.
"This area of Padua - Zanon responds to young people who have contacted him via Facebook - is home to hundreds of families who have rights that must be protected." The Mayor denounces the degradation brought by the clubs/bars in these areas in question, but fails to acknowledge the positive aspects. Points of view that can not be quantified: drugs, vomiting, and noise can be counted, but is another thing toto measure socialization, integration and healthy fun. It cannot not be determined, and so it may as well not exist.
One has the distinct feeling that the right to leisure and recreation is less important than the right to peace and quiet: together they just cannot not co-exist in this city!
In this context, what are the solutions to be proposed? What are the ways forward? We will try to answer with this manifesto.
The objectives of the MAP project
Given the context in which we live, it seems necessary to understand in which direction we are going and what our intentions are to push us to continue to offer evenings of music, integration and culture in our city.
- Short-Term Objectives
The first impulse shared by all participating in this project ... is the desire to socialize and meet. It is our right to have fun.
The focus of our nights is passion for music. We must syand firm, unitde in the promotion of parties and events for individual groups, artists, bars and clubs. Together we can support each other, creating a real network of information. Young artists and new premises will now have a way to meet through MAP.
Our parties and nights will pay particular attention to the residents, as each artist participating in MAPwill be particularly sensitive and careful in the selection of clubs when proposing parties and musical events. Together we will distinguish the most suitable clubs with which to collaborate, ensuring, on our part, full respect for residents.
- Medium-term Objactives
Search for an official HQ for MAP, where we can host the member organizations and artists involved in the project.
Bring Padua back to life, but above all, bring back the tolerance of young people, music and culture.
- Long Term Objectives
We include in the basis of our dance nights real and true "extra-musical" content that will allow us to build something concrete over time. A long-term goal to inspire our way.
In the long term this project aims to raise funds and resources for the construction of a "Radio / Workshop" in Cameroon, through the Onlus Asantesana and ASBA (Association of Bamboutos resident in Italy) associations, both working with different projects in Tanzania and Cameroon. In our opinion, the music can be used as a tool for education, dissemination and expression to combat social exclusion, fostering integration.
For each party, and organized event, a MAP "committee" (with a representative for the artists, associations, etc. ..) will decide on how much to donate to the projects and how much to the organization of other events, to the fullest trust and transparency.
Having collected the necessary funds for the construction of the Radio / Laboratory / SoundSystem we plan to organize a Musical Tour of the artists participating in the MAP project in Africa, at the reception facilities of Asantesana Onlus.
The music as a tool
To reach the objectives we have identified a number of tools at our disposal, our expertise enables us to entrust ourselves to the following media with confidence, convinced that the solutions are at hand if everyone does their part with team spirit.
The dissemination and promotion of live music is our first goal, but the music is also the first ingredient of parties and nights; many of us are great musicians or simply music lovers and it is this passion that gives us the real thrust to pursue our objectives. Through the organization of parties and musical evenings we will pursue our goals in the short and long term.
Through various forms of promotion (flyers, posters, etc ...) and involvement we are sure to attract a large number of people looking for places to socialize and enjoy themselves who would contribute to the "Radio / Music / Laboratory" project.
During the evening all participants will learn about the on-goings of the project and the state of affairs with fundraising.
Not only night events but also debates, dinners and conferences organized by member organizations dedicated to music and culture can contribute to the cause.
The involvement of new artists and local leaders is essential to give us more cohesion and to be able to have a real impact on city life for the better.
The creation of a content management system that supports the amount of information that will soon be created to help participants in the project to communicate with each other effectively and rapidly on different issues.
An interactive noticeboard where the artists stay in touch and support each other, where the progress of projects is published or new accessions collected.
The creation of a recognizable brand icon that can be a symbol of our way of socializing, which can be a testimony to our commitment. This symbol may accompany the communication of artists participating in the initiative.
The search for eventual economic sponsors.
The costs
On an economic level the project in the early stages must self-finance expenditure on the promotion of events that may include some of the following examples:
- Printing cards - between 60 and 130 euro for a minimum of 250 copies to a maximum of 5000 copies
- Posters and flyers - approximately 230 euro for 250 posters 60x85 cm
- Information leaflets - 270/300 euro for 2,500 copies
- A printed sheet - 70 euro 100x300 cm
- Stickers - 50 euro for 1000
We also think it is fair to assume a reimbursement to artists and organizations that will be discussed from time to time by the Committee in charge of the case.
Costing, through a feasibility study costs, for the construction of a musical workshop / radio / sound system in Cameroon, from electronic components to the shipping of necessary equipment.
At the moment it is impossible to accurately identify the cost.
By June 2011 Asantesana Onlus will identify the area of intervention and therefore understand the needs of the local community, and consequently the extent of our intervention.
Following this, it will be up to the association to determine the cost of a musical tour and the appropriate time to do so.
Conclusions
Since February 2011, the MAP project has taken shape rapidly capturing the attention and the consent of the musical artists and associations.
Asantesana Onlus aims to link with the project, and to promote and expand the interests of the project in agreement with the Organising Committee.
It is important to remember that MAP is a project, a joint manifesto of intent, to which anyone can subscribe.
No group participating in the initiative will have to lose, in any way, their identity, on the contrary, the image of members will be strengthened and pushed by all participants in the MAP project.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento