As part of L.A.R.p a serie of interviews will be conducted by Simon Kentgens to get insights into the drive and backgrounds of the participating artist-run initiatives and the specific contexts they are situated in. Artists-run initiatives are often bottom-up, non commercially driven and usually operate under the radar of established institutions. They have a lot of knowledge and experience in experimental forms of self-organization and building community networks. What strategies do these initiatives use to sustain themselves, to involve the public, and to remain relevant? What new forms of living and working together do these self-organized initiatives offer? How does the specific context of Rotterdam relate to that of Los Angeles? 

Most artist-run initiatives, like many others in the cultural field, have been hit hard by the current global pandemic. How to stay afloat? What are strategies to support each other and promote solidarity? How to organize in times of social distancing? This project shifted from a physical to an online manifestation. What can this distant collaboration and exchange bring us?

To reflect on these questions is all of the paired initiatives will be interviewed and published on this website. All interviews will be conducted by Simon Kentgens. Simon Kentgens is an artist living and working Rotterdam, and teaches at the Willem de Kooning academy. He initiated ‘The Autonomous Fabric’, a long term research project on self-organization and collective participation in artistic practices, and its consequences for established institutions - including art schools. The research uses Rotterdam as a case study, it includes a continuous mapping of self-organised initiatives in Rotterdam and an ongoing public program of network meetings, workshops and publications. www.autonomousfabric.org