Descrizione dell'organizzazione

- Vision/mission
Kaņepes Kultūras centrs (which in English directly translates to Hemp Cultural Center, but the visitors often call it for short - KKC) is an independent culture center aimed at providing a platform and safe inclusive environment for interaction of diverse range of people, cultures and ideas, and to organize cultural, entertainment and educative events to locals and visitors of Riga since 2012. While KKC also works as a cafe/bar providing space for informal gatherings and a venue for various grassroots initiatives and formal occasions, the sole mission and purpose of organization is organizing, producing, and managing the cultural program of KKC as well as raising awareness and providing safe space for discussions related to different social topics.

- Aims and objectives
The aim of KKC is to provide a regular and versatile cultural program to a wide audience, as well as encourage the emergence of new and creative ideas, provide space for the experiments of young artists and people of other creative fields. Since it was opened 9 years ago, KKC has been expanding the cultural boundaries by encouraging discussions on the role of culture in our society and by giving impulse to various new initiatives. It has served as a meeting place and given a platform to representatives of a wide range of age, interests, cultural and social background, and beliefs.

- Local context
KKC is located in the capital of Latvia – Riga. The neighborhoods of Riga are very diverse, and we are located at the very center which is easy to reach, and only a walk or bike ride away from different creative quarters and hotspots. The wooden building (built in 1895) with the garden that KKC inhibits is a legend itself and we are ardent admirers of it. People of diverse backgrounds keep finding it with no signs at the doors indicating the hidden treasure inside and call it their second home. Probably this is how the community grew starting in 2012 – by people telling others, inviting and going together to the Cultural Centre, which today has up to 50 000 visitors yearly. From an underground gathering place it has developed in a more mainstream and popular culture hotspot and public opinion shaper. We recognize the local social struggles and strive to raise awareness about different social and environmental topics, as well to involve local communities and broader society into social activism and discussion.

- Main activity fields
Management of a cultural institution, and the additional activity is the operation of a bar, cinema and the rental of premises. The cultural program of KKC spans across a wide range of activities and events, such as exhibitions, classical, experimental, jazz and avant-garde music concerts, public discussions, poetry and prose readings, film screenings, stand-up comedy, and different kinds of performances. The art-house cinema screens non-commercial, independent and powerful films of various genres, and in the past couple of years it has become an integral part of KKC.

- Capacity
KKC has a staff of 26 people of different age and background, 1 ESC volunteer and many local volunteers from the community who join in knowledge transfer, co-creation of events and initiatives. We co-create on average 250 events per year with over 100 local and international partners, welcome up to 50 000 visitors yearly.

- Main target groups
1. Community of KKC – mostly made up of local and foreign young people (aged 25-35) who feel belonging and call KKC their second home and/or their values match KKC values and are often interested in grassroots social activism, attend and co-create KKC events.
2. Visitors of KKC who normally attend only café/bar not the events – mostly local and foreign young people (aged 20-30).
3. Neighboring communities and inhabitants of Riga who normally don’t attend KKC and similar organized social events, but have the opportunity, and a broader society of Latvia who normally don’t attend KKC and similar organized social events, but don't have the opportunity due to distance and not using social media. We want to reach these people and encourage them to actively participate in opinion development and expression, civic activism, develop tolerance and inclusion skills, feeling of belonging.
4. Minorities and communities with fewer opportunities – people who often are socially excluded or in high risk of exclusion and discrimination due to different reasons (ethnic, religious minorities, LGBTQ+ community, seniors, low income, homeless, imprisonment, physical and mental disabilities, mental illnesses, abuse etc.). Some are part of the KKC community, but there are many more to reach to encourage them to mingle in a safe inclusive environment and develop belonging, and engage in different activities, including social activism, participation in NGOs and using ESC and general youth mobility opportunities.