Aiaraldea Ekintzen Faktoria: A place to dream and create
Aiaraldea Ekintzen Faktoria is an integral project, that aims to empower the Basque community in our region. We promote transformative values, in order to unite and strengthen our local community in placing Basque language at the center of life in the valley. Our main duty is to reinforce the cohesion and identity in our territory, and as a tool of inclusiveness. To this effect, we promote new leadership styles based on values of collaboration, participation and teamwork.
Local
Spain
The Ayala Valley includes, in addition to the geographical municipalities, towns of proximity with which social life develops. Taking into account this, Aiaraldea is a project directed to 9 municipalities. In total, 45.000 inhabitants.
5 Álava municipalities: Laudio, Amurrio, Aiara, Okondo, Artziniega.
4 Bizkaia municipalities: Urduña, Orozko, Arakaldo eta Arrankudiaga-Zollo.
The Aiaraldea factorship of Acción has always committed itself to community and identity, recognizing local customs, culture, life, needs and desires.
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
2021-05-01
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Aiaraldea Cooperative Association Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Gartzen Last name of representative: Garaio Atxurra Gender: Male Nationality: Spain Function: Coordinator of the Community Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Errotari Street, 4-8, Pavilion Town: Llodio (Province: Álava) Postal code: 01400 Country: Spain Direct Tel:+34 688 62 53 66 E-mail:kudeaketa@aiaraldea.eus Website:https://www.faktoria.eus/home
Aiaraldea Ekintzen Faktoria aims to revitalize the Basque Country based on social cohesion, solidarity and community identity as transversal values, and lines of work in the fields of education, communication, gender equality, agro-ecological philosophy, social economy and ecological transition. This non-profit social initiative cooperative involves 513 partner families and 18 workers. After 10 years of community volunteering, in 2021 we opened the Faktoria space.
AIARALDEA KOMUNIKABIDEA was born on April 17, 2010 with the aim of offering the region communication tools in Basque. Through the involvement of volunteers and community work, the former local media acquired the referentiality of the whole region; both in the web edition (aiaraldea.eus) and in the paper edition (7,600 copies of the biweekly magazine are distributed free of charge every two weeks in all public transport, schools, stores and businesses in the valley).
FAKTORIA counts on the monthly support of more than 500 members. All this is possible thanks to the contribution of a wide network of volunteers and communities. Every day around 80 volunteers work actively in the organization of activities, in the development of projects.
In the spring of 2021 the Faktoria was inaugurated, a 750m2 facility. Projects from all the Cooperative's lines are being worked on there: Aiaraldea Komunikabidea (local media hub), Kokoriko (educational line), Ekonomatua (focused on food sovereignty), Komunika (line of communication services to economically support the project), Bor-bor (feminism line aimed at rooting feminism), Aiaraldea Hedababidea and Faktoria (embodying cultural creation, transformative social economy, Basque and other values). From Monday to Friday the space operates publicly in the morning and afternoon, as well as on Saturday mornings. On weekends, however, the doors are open to social programming to offer a public place to live for the public. By this way, covering the needs they may have.
Local
Communitary
Transformative
Basque language rehabilitation
Cooperative/ Self- managed
Faktoria is founded on the cross-cutting axis of sustainability. This aspect is reflected in material aspects of space (architecture, infrastructure and all the projects) and intangible (social and human goods).In 2022, we received the EHAEO architecture award, in the category “Internal architecture and transitional activities”, recharging the community, social and aesthetic view that this integrated in the architectural form of Cultural Faktory. It was recognized the material and the process of sustainable construction implementation, because it has been designed and carried out on the basis of ecological transition criteria. Either through an architecture that takes ecosystems into account from the very beginning, and that promotes and plans sustainability and reuse:
-Built in wood to produce the minimum ecological footprint possible.
-Equipped with geothermal energy to the air conditioning system.
-Photovoltaic system: Creating Communities of energy Consumption.
-All the inputs of the factory are made into non-profit processing cooperatives: Goiner Coop- Energy) Izarkom koop-Telecommunications and koop57- Finance.
-It is an economate to strengthen the projects of farmers and producers and craftsmen in the primary sector, working under the principles and logic of agroecology.
-In the cantina we do not offer food or beverages that are not organic, artisans, fair trade or local.
-Trueke Fair.
-A public transport employment policy has been implemented in all the movements of workers.
-Digital posters have been more widely disseminated than physical posters to prevent environmental damage.
-Partners in an Erasmus+ project: Youth for The Alpine Heritage: Beautiful / Sustainable / Together.
We have carried too out impact services for municipalities in our valley, such as, Composting campaign for the village of Orduña, pedagogical communication of vegetables or occasional meals in the media. Finally, we are partners in all municipalities green events.
Aiaraldea Ekintzen Faktoria is founded on the cross-cutting axis of aesthetics and quality of experiencia for people. Faktoria is located in an industrial warehouse, which becomes a contemporary socio-cultural venue, offering an innovative aesthetic experience that transforms the collective industrial imaginary. Thus, the industrial space can be a potential niche for cultural development. This has generated that new business models are being developed in the valley, and that the pavilion is taking steps towards innovative businesses. Thus, it is an ambitious project that integrates a broad and demanding program, with many different and contrasting uses, in a space of high spatial and environmental quality, as certified by the COAVN architecture award.
The project shares with others of its kind the same logic as a matryoshka, in the literal physical sense, where one set of buildings fits inside another, and in a social sense, where many social relations and exchanges take place within a more general framework, a new framework of relationship between people. This provokes and implies new ways of being and feeling, putting at the center the dialogue between people, and promoting satisfactory reflexive-creative experiences.
Thus, our proposal, beyond complying with the program of needs proposed by the Aiaraldea cooperative, should act as a catalyst to enhance, accelerate and enrich the vibrant relationships that have been created in this space. The image of the village is enriched by the idea of the factory, a Faktoria where the socio-cultural actions and performances of the collective are manufactured. This is reflected in the methodologies of designing projects: community workshops, listening sessions of the Aiaraldea ecosystem, braimstorming, design thinking, co-creation spaces with related structures, experimentation laboratories... which offers a horizontal, democratic, transparent and participatory model for living, a source of social welfare.
Aiaraldea Ekintzen Faktoria is founded on the cross-cutting axis of inclusion. Our project is articulated 100% in Basque, in a valley where the majority language is Spanish. In our aim to revitalize the Basque language, we use inclusion methodologies to build bridges between Basque and the rest of the local languages, to ensure accessibility. In order to manage linguistic diversity, a social commitment document is signed every time a person enters the space, where, among other points, the linguistic profile is taken into account: who knows Basque and speaks it, who does not speak it but understands it, and who does not understand it. Depending on this, tools for communication and participation are offered, through interpreters, among others. We are currently working together with Badalab (linguistic innovation laboratory) to generate a differentiating tool that proposes a methodology for learning Basque. We see Basque as a tool for community identity and social inclusion. We also work with the reception group of young women who have recently arrived from different towns, with public centers and free activities are carried out to guarantee accessibility to artistic practice and leisure. Also worth mentioning are aspects such as:
-Adequacy of lift and ramps for the accessibility of factory space (continuous improvement of infrastructure).
-We're adapting the exhibition media about the project and the space to get closer to the communities of the blind, deaf or mute factory.
-The Commission's proposal is based on the principle of subsidiarity.
-Intersectionality promoted by the area of feminism
-The focus is on the experiences and knowledge of people with different needs to promote inclusion in the media through interviews or journalistic pieces.
-Tools to promote the participation of people with functional diversity.
-If you see the need in Kokoriko’s activities, special educators are hired so that everyone has the attention and care they need.
The participation of different types of interest groups has been the key to the success of the project. Their participation has been total since we formed as an association to what we are today; a cooperative with more than 15 workers and more than 5 areas that share the normalization of the use of Basque as a transversal value. The assembly model is the management model we have advocated throughout our history. Operational and, above all, strategic decision-making has been articulated by forming ad-hoc committees.
As of today, different commissions are active in each of our areas of work where both user members and general public participate. Monthly meetings (face-to-face and online) have been called in each of our branches of action in order to ensure active listening and strategic decision making. In these meetings, for example, we have agreed from the protocol for the use of the Basque language in spaces and activities, to a gender equality plan applicable not only to salaried workers but also to the community of members. This assembly management also rules the collaborative commissary through which we market local agricultural production. It is a project managed entirely by volunteers, a project by and for them. We also apply project management, through small groups (formed by all kinds of social profiles) that are created to respond to specific needs and initiatives.
The creation of Faktoria, a physical space of more than 750m2, having started from nothing, would have been impossible without the collaboration of volunteers. The impact of such involvement is, on the one hand, economic. Being a non-profit organization, it would be unimaginable to assume the cost of replacing volunteerism with paid work. On the other hand, the ideological impact has to be valued, since the active participation of social representatives in decision making has helped us to create projects that go beyond our imagination, that are innovative and come from and satisfy social needs.
Stakeholder engagement has been diverse. User members and volunteers have been involved in decision-making in different ways, either through their participation in the cooperative's Governing Council, or through their commitment in the different commissions formed (communication, food sovereignty, non-regulated education, culture, etc.). Regarding the Governing Council, it should be noted that it is made up of 5 user members, who are accompanied by 5 workers, so that the decisions taken are not far removed from social needs.
Likewise, we have tried to give both partners and members of the company the opportunity to participate in projects that enhance their areas of interest and knowledge. An example of this is the group formed by teenagers from the region in order to program concerts and cultural activities. Or even the group formed by construction workers who altruistically tiled and varnished our headquarters.
A clear and continuous communication is the key to obtain such commitment. On a monthly basis, members (and those who have signed up for it) receive a digital newsletter summarizing the main milestones achieved, future challenges... We rely on the use of audiovisual pieces and we try to use a fun and close register, which engages the receiver. Maintaining good communication is the key to ensuring active and motivated volunteers.
To articulate such commitment we created the figure of active partner, who donates 20 hours of work to the project. This voluntary work can be dedicated to whatever the volunteer decides, and is compensated by obtaining greater discounts in the purchase of services and goods, e.g. in the local products store, in the canteen or in concert tickets. The main added value of the society's participation is that it allows us to be a constant active listener. In this way, we have been able to create projects that we would not have been able to imagine or carry out on our own, e.g.: we have met new music groups, new local producers, etc.
There are several areas of knowledge that have been necessary throughout the project.
On the one hand, we highlight the relevance of knowledge in the design of multidisciplinary spaces. We co-designed our headquarters together with BEHARK ARKITEKTURA SLP (partners of our cooperative). Our expertise in bio-passive architecture has allowed us to create a space that promotes a new lifestyle where sustainability matches style, thus accelerating the green transition.
We emphasize the importance of knowing the social concerns and the network of local agents.
It would be madness to create a project of this magnitude if we don’t start from an analysis of what society really needs. The fact that the project originated in a media based on citizen participation has given us the privilege of being in direct contact with these needs.
Another key aspect of the project has been the development of capacities related to new models of citizen participation. This has allowed us to develop active listening dynamics and weave a network of participatory spaces to give voice to the social majority (and therefore, the co-design of initiatives).
In addition to social innovation we use advanced management skills. We use the principles of Agile methodology in day-to-day management. Decision-making processes have been streamlined by eliminating bureaucracy, focusing on end-user satisfaction and using the Scrum framework (agile meetings and continuous coordination), in order to allow horizontal decision-making.
Finally, it should be noted that the project would not have been possible without the technical expertise in each area of work. In terms of journalistic knowledge for the creation of a media outlet, agroecological knowledge for the implementation of a commissary and online store, etc.
We have implemented different workshops that have allowed us to deepen intergenerational solidarity. Workshops on creative dance, yoga, cooking, etc. led by local youth have created a precious community in which adults feel cared for and feel confident about the generations to come. In addition, in collaboration with local schools, we hold an annual multimedia workshop where we transfer our knowledge in the use of ICT to young people. Today we have a daily offer of self-managed workshops.
Our extensive and multidisciplinary cultural programming is one of the most valuable tools to reinforce the sense of belonging. Thus, since 2021/05/15 (opening date of Faktoria), we have programmed 75 events, mixing different arts: music, theater, humor, etc. We have programmed at least one cultural event per week since our opening, it brings tears to our eyes to write this sentence. Among them we would like to highlight the results of the cycle of women creators where 25 women have participated in the creation of an interdisciplinary work that has reached more than 500 people.
One result of our project not associated with event programming is that we have created a public plaza where people can gather and socialize. Faktoria is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. offering a cozy and sheltered space where young people gather to do their homework, and older people have coffee while knitting. We also have a space rental system and offer a free co-working space service.
Finally, we have obtained very good results as far as the hybridization of education and art is concerned. Thanks to the artistic mediation of the local artist Paula Urkijo, we have managed to bring young people from 14 schools closer to the world of contemporary dance and they have contributed to her work "Eta itzalen atzean zer?”.
Both globally and locally (Basque Country) there are projects with which we share values and initiatives. It is, therefore, normal to find projects linked to: promoting the use of the Basque language, encouraging local journalism, creating a cultural scene in Basque, taking care of agro-ecological production, allowing non-regulated education based on values, etc. The differential value of our proposal is based on the integration of all the previously mentioned social areas in a single project. The innovation lies in the transversality between different social disciplines to make it possible for the local community to live in Basque (*being our non-Basque-speaking environment, %4.6 in the latest measurements). All this is combined with a system of management by and for the people, an assembly model in which the local community is in charge of creating, materializing and enjoying the initiatives. The fact of having monthly assemblies in each of the work areas, as well as creating ad-hoc teams to meet specific needs, is disruptive, as it allows for the creation of a community involved at different levels of intensity.
Horizontal decision-making has allowed us to develop a sense of belonging and identity. We do not believe in mass consumption, elite culture and patronage or empty philanthropy. The aim of the project is to provide citizens with the necessary tools for the creation of local projects that meet their needs.
We also try to ensure that women* play a leading role and that this is a safe space for dissident identities (which is why several projects have created non-mixed spaces). Creating only in Basque is also something unusual in our environment, we do not know of initiatives in the Basque Country that have a language policy like ours, which makes us face challenges on a daily basis.
All this is rounded off by a modern, multifunctional, accessible and aesthetically appealing (award-winning) space.
The Aiaraldea Ekintzen Faktoria project is based on three basic methodological axes.
On the one hand, we try to combine a global and local approach. We develop local projects to respond to global challenges. As we will explain later, the global problems we address are diverse. From the creation of energy communities based on the electricity generated by our photovoltaic panels, to cultural programming based on equality standards (in which works created by women* prevail), we try to provide small-scale solutions to respond to global challenges. However, this does not make us lose focus on local needs. Our model of active listening and horizontal governance allows us to be aware of these, and to address them in a unique way. E.g.: creating a Basque language learning program for retirees and newcomers.
On the other hand, the participatory approach is at the heart of our project. The creation of spaces where people of all ages and in all their diversity create together is something we are deeply proud of. Giving a voice to local youth in the definition of cultural programming is just one example, just as the creation of a Basque-Arabic dictionary and the live interpretation of meetings and events may be another.
Finally, we would like to highlight a third approach, transdisciplinarity. Our project integrates different lines of work all pursuing a common goal, the empowerment of the use of the Basque language in our region. The virtue that gives us the fact of having areas of culture, food sovereignty, non-formal education, communication, feminism... makes the combination of projects between them very prolific. This has led us, for example, to the creation and programming of theater cycles based on feminism and equality (or lack thereof). Or the creation of ateliers to train children between the ages of 3-12 in agroecological principles. Working and learning across disciplines facilitates a cross-fertilization of ideas, knowledge, skills and methods.
Although we are aware that our project is based on a very specific need (the promotion of the Basque language in our region), we believe that many of its elements can be replicated at other scales. In Europe alone there are more than 20 languages at risk of extinction, which means that our project can be replicated in countries such as Croatia, Ireland, Latvia, Malta, Lithuania, Catalonia, Iceland, etc. However, we believe that our project provides a solution to challenges that go beyond language issues, addressing citizen participation, inclusion of groups at risk of exclusion, sustainability, intergenerational solidarity, and in general, the sense of belonging.
The previously mentioned methodologies, although they should be adapted to local casuistry, could be transferred to other projects. The model of assembly management open to partners and the interested population and the creation of focus groups to address specific projects, is a matter of good organization, communication and use of accessible technologies and dynamics.
The use of intuitive and easy-to-use digital tools has been one of the keys to ensure high participation rates. In this sense, we highlight the use of collaborative and document management solutions, such as Slack, in the public domain, being very relevant the use of free software (not proprietary, not based on licenses).
One of the most important lessons learned for the success of the project has been to adapt decision-making to an end-user-based approach. A great effort has been made to manage the expectations of salaried workers, for whom it is not easy to adapt to the rhythm of assembly-based decision-making. In this regard, special emphasis is placed on implementing dynamics that avoid power relations, where the knowledge and experience accumulated by the staff may limit participation and collective creation.
We respond to the following challenges:
Unemployment and labor migration: The Basque Country is one of the regions with a higher unemployment rate and which in recent years has been particularly socio-economically deprived. Through our projects we are raising new opportunities for young people in the valley through the school of shared knowledge. That is, to promote entrepreneurship and to generate projects for young people to develop in the valley. For example, a sociology student is promoting a study of activation and participation of adolescents to investigate and promote youth leisure in rural areas.
Rehabilitation of the rural environment and promote the value of the local against globalization and cultural homogonization: We work at our local level, from the proximity, building and putting in value our environment, and creating alternatives to live. Thus facing depopulation and preventing migration from rural areas to the cities.
Care of the archaeological asset such as the Basque language: protection, standardization, preservation and linguistic expansion, within a framework of preserving intangible assets. Cooperation in projects of perseverance of other languages, such as the kitxua of Ekuador, working on tools to strengthen the community of speakers and creating networks of shared knowledge.
Within feminism, we have carried out different events that respond to the need to give space to different identities and corporealities, for which we have organized didactic units in schools against sexist violence, cycles of creative women, .....
Facing consumption: responsible consumption fairs and new models of economy. In response to this, we propose circular consumption initiatives whereby food not used in the store becomes food for the Kantina and the cooking courses.
Through the community media, through popular journalism (and focusing the needs and interests of the community), disinformation is addressed through Aiaraldea Media.
