On this page you will find the workshops, exhibitions and descriptions of the programme of Musta Pispala 2024! There will be two weekend-long exhibitions, and the workshops take place on Friday on 14-20, Saturday on 12-20 and Sunday on 12-18. In addition to these programmes, be sure to check out the other great events of the weekend – the gigs and the Black Pispala X Shadow Book Fair!
Note these changes in the programme!
NEW WORKSHOP
Why not or how to use phones (and computers etc)
When: Sun klo 16-18
Where: Vastavirta club (ground floor)
Organizer: A. Technoscep
Language: English
Exchange round/discussion starting from a motivated-layperson-and-a-technoalarmist point of view. Attack surface, threat models, weak points of popular sec measures, privileges and technology, possible ideas/perspectives for groups and movements. Please come without any electronic devices. (In bad English.)
UPDATED VENUE AND TIME
Bicycle repair
When: Sun 14:00-18:00
Where: Pyynikin Aikamatkat yard
UPDATED VENUE AND TIME
Prisoner support bingo & letter writing
When: Fri 18-20
Where: Hirvitalo
Language: Finnish or English according to people’s needs
UPDATED VENUE AND TIME
Experiences from the Zapatista EZLN’s 30th Anniversary of Autonomy in Chiapas
When: Sat 4pm-6pm
Where: Artteli, Kuulu
Language: In Finnish or in English according to people’s needs
NEW GIG
Schmeckt nach spüli
When: Su klo 16
Where: Pyynikin aikamatkat
i make music that is sometimes punky, sometimes sad, sometimes funny and sometimes silly. i sing in english and german about queerness, being a lefitst child, and other trouble. i accompany that with any instrument i can get my hands on, often guitar or accordion. this year i will bring a special guest who will spice things up with the enchanting melodies of the infamous gaxophone.
All weekend Fri-Sun
I’m not alone but one of many – art exhibition
Where: Vastavirta klubi (ground floor)
I’m not alone, but one of the many is an art exhibition and workshop tour. It brings together last year’s collective Vilttimanifesti piece, the new Laumasuoja community art project that will be launched in connection with the exhibitions, and four artists: Arina Baranova, Pauliina Parjanen, saveenkirjoitettu and Sini Silveri. The exhibition was put together and the community works started by Vilja Joensuu.
The feminist textile artwork Vilttimanifesti was born as a reaction to punkstoo in 2023. It takes a stand against harassment and gendered use of power and suggests that #punkstoo is a moment of cultural change – an opportunity to redefine what subculture means to us. More than 40 people participated in the work in four workshops, in four cities. The final work assembled from the partial works produced in the workshops returns as an exhibition to the places where it began.
Active Stills photo exhibition
Where: Pispala library
Active Stills is a collective of documentary photographers which views itself as part of the international and local struggle against all forms of oppression, racism and discrimination. It is composed of Israeli, Palestinian and international photographers, operating locally in Palestine/Israel and abroad.
The collective believes in the power of images to shape public attitudes and raise awareness on issues that are generally absent from public discourse, or presented in a misleading way by the media. The international mainstream media often repeats the Israeli narrative, failing to expose the settler-colonial project as the main cause of violence and human rights violations in the area. We wish to challenge this state of affairs by producing work which supports the efforts of the oppressed in bringing their narrative into the visible public sphere.
This exhibition presents the recent work of the collective, focusing on the war on Gaza and the rising violence in the West Bank, that goes less covered, in the light of the ongoing genocide. These will be put in the larger context of the ongoing Nakba – decades of ethnic cleansing and dispossession of Palestinians of their land.
More information of the collective: https://www.activestills.org/
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FRIDAY
VASTAVIRTA KLUBI (GROUND FLOOR)
Organizing the Ug event
When: 14-16 Where: Vastavirta klubi (ground floor)
Language: In Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
In the event workshop, we learn about the basics of organizing an ug event and essential things to consider, both in theory and in practice. The workshop aims to organize open-air continuations after Saturday’s gigs in the Pispala area. There are many roles available, and no previous experience is necessary. You can express your area of expertise or interest in advance. Pre-registration: pmf3xa@gmail.com
News from the Riga anarchist book fair
When: Fri 16-18
Where: Vastavirta klubi (ground floor)
Language: Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
Hearings from earlier this year, the first anarchist book fair in Riga and the book fair in Prague, as well as mentions of a few important upcoming anarchist book fairs.
PUB YLÄKRETA
Zine publishing event
When: Fri 2-4pm
Where: Pub Yläkerta
Language: Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
Interview-style presentation of three zines about Rojava that will be published this summer.
HIRVITALO
Kapinatyöläinen magazine is presented – Are you interested in making a magazine?
When: Fri 16-18
Where: Hirvitalo outdoor shed
Language: Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
In the workshop, the history of Kapinatyöläinen is told, the making of the magazine is described and new contributors are attracted.
UPDATED TIME AND VENUE
Prisoner support bingo & letter writing
When: Fri 18-20
Where: Hirvitalo
Organizer: A-group’s Eastern Europe solidarity working group
Language: Finnish or English according to people’s needs
Come write letters to Russian political prisoners and get excited at prisoner support bingo! The event supports Russian political prisoners by playing bingo and writing postcards. Includes a short introduction to the topic. You can bring your own postcards, but you can also get them on site. We will help to translate the letters on the spot into Russian, if you need.
Bingo tickets €5 each. All proceeds will be donated to the Solidarity Zone initiative, which supports those arrested in Russia for anti-war activities. You can pay with cash or MobilePay. Fun prizes! Introduction and bingo in Finnish and English according to the needs of the participants.
TAHMELA BEACH
Collective self-defense workshop and presentation of the Iso Tila Hki project
When: Friday from 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: Tahmela beach (if it rains, the workshop will be moved to Sunday in the Vastavirta klubi’s lower floor from 4 to 6 p.m.)
Organizer: Iso Tila Hki and Meidän Sali
Language: Finnish or English according to people’s needs
In the one-hour workshop, we awaken our inner ninjas and wonder and get to know what collective self-defense can mean for us. We focus on simple self-defense techniques through playful exercises. Everyone is welcome to join the work group, even without previous experience or a physical background. In the workshop, physical exercises are done in a relaxed manner and they can be modified to suit everyone. You can participate in casual clothes.
Meidän Sali is a body-positive and non-commercial exercise facility operating on the principles of safer facilities. Meidän Sali is looking for bigger and open spaces together with the Iso Tila project, which aims to create a non-commercial community space in Helsinki. Before the workshop, information will be organized if you want to hear more about Iso Tila and Meidän Sali.
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SATURDAY
Vastavirta Club (Donwstairs)
Täyskäännös: anarchist translation collective introduces itself + Operation Solidarity’s 29 lessons on organising – zine launch
14.00-15.00
Vastavirta club (Downstairs)
Language: Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
The Tampere-based anarchist translation collective Täyskäännös presents its activities and enters the public sphere for the first time. Representatives of Täyskäännnös will present the texts they have translated over the last two years and explain why they have decided to become politically active. They will focus on texts that they feel will stand the test of time and bring something new to anarchist organising. It also concentrates its distribution primarily on paper-based small magazines. In the Internet age, what is the role and potential of a slower-paced, hand-to-hand analysis?
The event will also see the publication of the latest text in the full translation, 29 Lessons: the first year of Operation Solidarity’s experience of organising, which tells the story of the organisation of Ukrainian anarchists in the first year of the Russian war of aggression.
Vita nuova: The writers’ collective and online media presentations
15.00-16.00
Vastavirta club (Downstairs)
Language: Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
Vita nuova is a writers’ collective and online media for young people born in the 1990s and 2000s. As a counterpoint to the trend of fast content in contemporary media, the focus is on slow text and thinking. Founded in 2019, Vita nuova publishes a diverse range of non-fiction: essays, interviews, columns, video and audio essays, photographs and drawings.
Pispala Library, Mustan kanin kolo and Turku Book Café: A Discussion about Literary Venue Projects
17.00-18.00
Vastavirta club (Downstairs)
Language: Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
How do these self-managed spaces work, and what is their role? The Pispala Library, the Turku Book Café and the Mustan kanin kolo in Helsinki will come from right next door to the venue to share their experiences and activities in a panel organised in conjunction with the Book Fair. All are well-established and long-running venue projects that revolve around literature in slightly different ways. What are the challenges, but above all the opportunities, of running your own space project?
PISPALA LIBRARY
Internet security and privacy
When: Saturday at 12-14
Where: Pispala library
Language: English
This workshop gives a broad general understanding on the concept of cyber security. It is directed to general antiauthoritarian audience with basic IT skills (know how to download an app on your phone, how to sign up for an email account, or what a password is), own basic devices – PCs, smartphones, gadgets… familiar with common cyber security practices, e.g strong passwords, secure connection, authentication… The content is built upon the individual needs of participants. We all have to start our understanding on safety from somewhere – why not here? (There is a 20-30 minutes info part first, then workshopping.)
Settler colonialism in the West Bank and resistance to it – experiences of activism in Palestine
When: Sat 14-16
Where: Pispala library
Organizer: Activists from the International Solidarity Movement and the Faz3a campaign
In Finnish or in English according to people’s needs
This workshop will be initiated by two different people with experience in grassroots activism on the West Bank. Their introductions are consecutive, after which there is time for discussion. In the introductions, experiences of activism in Palestine both from this spring and from a longer period are discussed, as well as observations and experiences of how settler colonialism, with its illegal settlements, strives to take over larger and larger territories of Palestinians and displace them from their own lands. In addition, the local grassroots everyday resistance to it and the activities of the International Solidarity Movement and the Faz3a campaign as part of this struggle are presented. Themes are discussed both through the examples of individual Palestinian villages and regions, as well as through international solidarity activities.
Poems for Palestine
When: Sat 4-6pm
Where: Pispala library
Organizer: Sumud
Language: English
In this workshop, the goal is to process and express the diverse and difficult feelings stemming from the ongoing genocide in Gaza. In order to properly center Palestine we will start with an introductory speech on the importance of poetry as resistance in Palestinian culture. After that we will present different materials and techniques (blackout poetry etc) for freely creating poems. At the end of the workshop there will be an open mic for those who wish to share their final products, and time for general discussion. The poems will possibly be assembled into a zine after the festival.
There is a maximum amount of participants in this workshop (15 people), so it is a good idea to show up early if you want to fit in.
Repression in demonstrations
When: Sat at 18-20
Where: Pispala library
In Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
As we have seen again in recent months, the police are using violence against demonstrators in Finland too. Many are shocked and surprised by this, while others are familiar with the police’s behaviour and logic in Finland and elsewhere.
The police will not give up their use of force, but we can have some influence on the harm and damage that the police may cause, starting with where, where and to whom we communicate, how we act during and after protests, and how we treat those who are subjected to police violence.
We will talk about the ways and reasons police use to restrict, for example, demonstrations, but also about ways to protect ourselves and each other without staying at home.
KUMPPANUUSTALO ARTTELI
The understated charm of Leninism
When: Sat 12-2pm
Where: Kumpanuustalo Artteli
Organizer: A-ryhmä
In Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
The Soviet Union deservedly ended up in the grave more than 30 years ago, and in China “communism” means ultra-capitalist exploitation. Why hasn’t this bullshit been stopped yet? Why are the Bolsheviks still a nuisance who come to extra-parliamentary events to photobomb and fuck around? Do anarchists have no self-respect?
Discussion with Solidarity Collectives
When: 14-16
Where: Kumpanuustalo Artteli
Organizer: Solidarity Collectives
Language: English
Anarchists in Ukraine are fighting the Russian invasion in Ukraine, Solidarity Collectives is an anti-authoritarian collective that organizes the support for the fighters, as well as organizes a civilian mutual aid relief network and help for animals. The discussion will consists of a presentation of the collective and it’s work. There will be videos to watch too, and after the presentation questions from comrades attending will be answered by a member of the collective.
There will be the possibility to donate to the collective directly at the festival. It is possible to precise when giving, for what purpose the money should be used, fighters, civilian relief or animal relief.
UPDATED VENUE AND TIME
Experiences from the Zapatista EZLN’s 30th Anniversary of Autonomy in Chiapas
When: Sat 4pm-6pm
Where: Artteli, Kuulu
Language: In Finnish or in English according to people’s needs
Presentation of the new EZLN* autonomous governance structures: what do they mean and what is the new principle of “Lo comun y la no propiedad” (community and non-ownership). The workshop includes video and photo material from the Zapatista areas of Chiapas.
Time for discussion: how could we learn from the Zapatistas and how could we be inspired to build our own autonomy or resistance, what would that look like? Why can we learn from the Zapatistas? How to build resistance together based on our context and our needs? A resistance that is for living and not just for survival; resistance, where differences are built into bridges to meet each other.
* EZLN = The abbreviation comes from the Spanish words Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, or in Finnish the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
HIRVITALO
Bank Robbers for freedom: Reflections on financing Revolutionary struggle
When: 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Where: Hirvitalo outdoor shed
Language: English
What self-determination means in a world where money is needed? How anarchists and revolutionaries can finance themselves without being bound to labor or institutional funds? What kind of tools can we use to be independent and consistent in terms of economy? In this speech, we will reflect on expropriation and robbery as historical tools of financing revolutionary activity. We will present some historical examples, and give the floor to an anarchist comrade who was condemned for a bank robbery in Aachen, Germany, in 2017.
Networking and organizing meeting of anti-authoritarians from the surrounding municipalities of Tampere
When: Sat 2-4 pm
Where: Hirvitalo outdoor shed
Language: In Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
For anti-authoritarians in Pirkanmaa in Tampere’s surrounding communities, would like to be developed and had a common group, a communication channel, or a plan to start and support anti-authoritarian activities in our areas (and to support activities in Tampere). The conditions, needs and opportunities are different from Tampere, and on the other hand, the access to the surrounding municipalities from Tampere has been small-scale. The event is a free-form, loosely guided networking and organizing meeting, where wishes and possibilities regarding the surrounding municipalities are reviewed.
Education and training workers’ discussion workshop
When: 4-6 pm
Where: Hirvitalo outdoor shed
Language: In Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
Are you an early childhood education worker, school assistant, classroom teacher or subject teacher struggling with a lack of resources, government cuts to education and the general deterioration of young people’s well-being? Do you want to be part of a conversation where we consider how to act in a society where education and culture are constantly given less value?
Join us in a conversation that cuts to the heart of today’s scourges of education and teaching. This workshop offers a unique opportunity to share thoughts, ideas and practical experiences with colleagues who share the same passion for education and teaching. Although our education system is struggling with many challenges, we firmly believe that together we can find solutions and create change.
The event is intended for all comrades who work or dream of working in early childhood education, basic education, second attitude or any other field of study. The event is therefore not intended only for teachers, but for everyone who works or dreams of working in the field of education and teaching.
Hair workshop
When: Sat from 4 to 8 p.m. (In case of rain only from 6 to 8 p.m.)
Where: Hirvitalo outdoor shed
In the hair workshop, hair is cut with the confidence of an amateur! Borrow tools or ask the workshop organizer to trim your ends or even buzz everything off.
TAHMELA BEACH
Rhytms of Resistance: Drum group workshop
When: Sat 4-6 pm
Where: Tahmela beach
Organizer: ManseROR
Language: In Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
Welcome to learn about the activities of the ManseROR drum group, or Rhytms of Resistance, playing at the protests! In the workshop, we go through easy rhythms in a beginner-friendly way. No prior knowledge or registration is required.
Rhytms of Resistance: Dance workshop
When: Sat 16-17.30 (duration 1.5h)
Where: Tahmela beach
Language: Suomi/ English
If I cant dance, it’s not my revolution! The legendary Ror drum group, which raised the mood in several demonstrations, is surely already familiar to everyone. But have you heard that you can also dance to the same songs? Ror dances are rhythmic, easy and quick to learn, so come with us to Tahmela’s beach to dance! In the workshop, we go through a couple of easy-to-learn dances and together we plan a completely new dance!
There is no maximum number of participants. Dancers of all ages are welcome to the workshop.
PUB YLÄKERTA
Herd protection (Laumasuoja)
When: Sat from 15-18
Where: Pub Yläkerta in the courtyard
Language: In Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
Laumasuoja is a communal artwork that deals with anonymity, its meaning and the right to anonymity in the discussion about sexual harassment and structural sexism. Panels covering the face are made using textile techniques in the herd shelter. Covering the face is a protest that questions why in the discussion about sexism, violence and exploitation, individual stories and the testimony of personal experiences are required, instead of being seen as part of a patriarchal system.
The workshop does not require prior knowledge or preparation. You can make your own panel as simple as you want or as complex as you can manage and have time for. The works made in the workshop will be added to the exhibition, and they will be displayed in the following exhibitions as part of the body of works. Participation is anonymous, but you can share pictures or information about your participation if you wish. The overall work expands into a street scene – photocopies are taken of the panels, which can also be distributed by yourself, for example by laminating.
By participating in the Laumasuoja work, you give permission to use the piece you made as part of the work as a whole and to display it also in possible future exhibitions, always as part of the whole. More information: vilja.joensuu@gmail.com / https://elnavilja.wordpress.com/
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SUNDAY
VASTAVIRTA KLUBI (GROUND FLOOR)
Construction anarchists
When: Sun 12-2pm
Where: Vastavirta klubi (ground floor)
Language: In Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
Do you work with construction? Are you construction-curious, starting your career in the construction industry, or perhaps an iron-clad professional? Do you have bad experiences with musty or dirty construction sites? Have you ever dreamed of sharing everyday work with your comrades?
If you answered yes to the above, come to the gathering of raksa-anarchists! The purpose is to organize a relaxed and informal event for anarchists, feminists and anti-authoritarians working in the construction industry, as well as those interested in the field. There, we can find like-minded people, share information and experiences, and dream or outline possible cooperation patterns, e.g. through a cooperative or other organization. Construction can mean both traditional, new, repair and log construction.
The content of the meeting is not strictly limited, but can be adapted according to the interests and needs of the participants! Comrades from Manse and the capital region are there to chat.
Discussions about antisemitism, Jewish resistance and anti-nationalism
When: Sun 14-16
Where: Vastavirta klubi (ground floor)
Organizer: Nahlieli – Jews for Justice in Palestine
Language: English
Nahlieli – Jews for Justice in Palestine is a Jewish anti-Zionist group operating in Finland. We hold a workshop where we discuss various topics, including what is anti-Semitism, how is it instrumentalized and what does it matter, a little history of Jewish resistance in opposing fascism and Zionism, diasporism as a radical objection to nationalism, and of course the introduction of our own group. Time will be set aside for questions and discussion. The working group will be held in English, but interpretation into Finnish will be arranged if necessary. Welcome!
NEW WORKSHOP
Why not or how to use phones (and computers etc)
Milloin: Su klo 16-18
Missä: Vastavirta-klubi (alakerta)
Järjestäjä: A. Technoscep
Kieli: Englanti
Exchange round/discussion starting from a motivated-layperson-and-a-technoalarmist point of view. Attack surface, threat models, weak points of popular sec measures, privileges and technology, possible ideas/perspectives for groups and movements. Please come without any electronic devices. (In bad English.)
PISPALA LIBRARY
Riseup.net 25 years
When: 12-2pm
Where: Pispala library
Language: In Finnish (simultaneous translation is maybe possible)
A presentation of the online services of the Riseup collective, which turns 25 this year, a brief history and, in addition, a presentation of the network infrastructure of other similar movements and reflection on how you can take part in making its existence possible.
UPDATED DESCRIPTION
Belkî Sibê – A Journey Through The Syrian War And The Rojava Revolution
When: Sun 14-16
Where: Pispala library
The director, Alexis Daloumis’ experiences as a volunteer soldier in the Rojava revolution in north-eastern Syria began with the 2016 with the battles of Manbij. A year and a half long journey through both the fierce frontline battles of the war and the major changes in civil society are experienced in a poignant way, with footage and numerous interviews. How the revolution has changed society, how soldiers and civilians have thought and acted in a revolution that has inspired and continues to inspire countless people around the world? In 2021 Daloumis returned to Rojava to do more interviews about it, how the region has evolved and how the pillars of the revolution such as women’s liberation and radical experiments in democracy, have carried the day.
Content warning: the film contains some violent footage
Director Alexis Daloumis, 2023.
English subtitles, duration 1h 38min.
Regional Conflicts in the Global South and their Impact on Migration to the Global North
When: 16-18
Where: Pispala Library
Organizer: Woman Life Freedom Finland
Language: English
Following every struggle across various nations, a subsequent wave of migration inevitably arises, yet regrettably, there is a dwindling display of tolerance towards it. The recent development in Finland, opting to seal its borders to migrants fleeing from Russia, serves as a poignant illustration of this trend. In an upcoming event, speakers from Iran, Nicaragua, and Russia will address the respective struggles within their nations, as well as the broader migration landscape. They will explore the future outlook and give example of actions how individuals can support freedom fighters in these countries and the global south at large.
PYYNIKIN AIKAMATKAT (CAMPING PLACE)
UPDATED VENUE AND TIME
Bicycle repair
When: Sun14:00-18:00
Where: Pyynikin Aikamatkat yard
Organizer: Ecotopia Biketour and Tampereen bike workshop
Language: Finnish and English
Ecotopia Biketour and Tampere bike workshop are there with tools. Bring your bike and come learn or teach bike repair and hang out in good company!
NEW GIG
Schmeckt nach spüli -folkpunkartisti
Milloin: Su klo 16
Missä: Pyynikin aikamatkat
i make music that is sometimes punky, sometimes sad, sometimes funny and sometimes silly. i sing in english and german about queerness, being a lefitst child, and other trouble. i accompany that with any instrument i can get my hands on, often guitar or accordion. this year i will bring a special guest who will spice things up with the enchanting melodies of the infamous gaxophone.