Instar Offers Four Spaces for ‘Coworking’ at its Headquarters in Old Havana

The four spaces will be used to hold workshops, meetings, master classes, and public events. (Facebook / Instar)

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Havana, 6 January 2020 — The Hannah Arendt International Institute of Artivism (Instar) has made available to other independent projects three spaces for coworking, shared offices, at its headquarters in Old Havana, according to an announcement published this Tuesday on its social networks.

In a country marked by a housing deficit and few places for the development of independent initiatives, Instar seeks to support the growing demand for facilities to meet and work during the development of projects that do not enjoy the favor of officialdom.

“We have two types of spaces, short-term, for people who need a few hours to work with their team or hold a workshop, of those we have three,” artist Tania Bruguera told 14ymedio. “We are also going to have a space for people who need to do long-term projects, for example a week to finish a project with your team and you need to come every day and leave work items in the space.”

The artist commented that “a computer, a sound system, a projector and of course, the Instar library,” will also be available to the participants.

The practice of so-called coworking has spread internationally in recent years, but in Cuba it has only just begun hand in hand with entrepreneurs and spurred by the economic crisis that has deepened with the pandemic. So far, there are few initiatives of this type on the island aimed at civil society, independent artists, and activism.

The four locations will be used to hold workshops, meetings, master classes, and public events. The artist also explained that those interested only have to send an email to Instar to organize the schedules according to the availability that exists, “it’s free,” Bruguera said.

“It is known that the independent world in Cuba works under a constant state of siege and in precariousness because it cannot aspire to certain perks that the Government gives to other projects and we wanted to support that,” the artist declared.

“Collaborative work is a solution for the inconveniences of isolation and independence inherent to the experience of working at home,” the statement explained, detailing the new opportunity as “an outlet” for artists or activists in search of a venue.

The text emphasizes that work rules will be established very soon, “for peaceful coexistence with the rest of the projects involved.” The announcement concludes with, “The doors of Tejadillo 214 are open for you.”

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