KAPITEL & SOSO.SPACE: SAVE SUPPORT TRANSFORM
We need your help: the cultural scene is facing its greatest challenge in decades. Across Switzerland, essential cultural venues are at risk of disappearing forever in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic – and we are no exception.
For some time now, we have been working intensively to realign our cultural activities to adapt to new realities, diversify our leadership collective, and strengthen our core focuses such as community work in the cultural sector, diversity, and awareness.
Kapitel Bollwerk and SOSO – suboffice of space operations – will now be united under the association Kulturräume am Bollwerk, operating on a non-profit basis. To this end, an association has been established with a management team of seven people and a board of six members.
The situation is critical: since April 2024, we have survived solely thanks to the immense support of our community. Within the management, approximately 200% of positions are filled voluntarily, and for each event, 2 to 3 teams are composed of volunteers or our new «Soli-Team.» Additionally, various artists have partially or entirely waived their fees to enable our continuity. These mechanisms are unsustainable and exhausted. Without your help, we cannot continue.
WHY SUPPORT US ?
For 13 years, Kapitel Bollwerk and SOSO – suboffice of space operations (SOSO Space) have been major players in Bern’s cultural scene. They are more than just event venues; they are creative hubs where artists from all over Switzerland and Europe come together to create culture.
Our mission is to give a voice to underrepresented communities and individuals in Switzerland through cultural formats and events, while maintaining a space where people from marginalized groups feel comfortable, whether in the audience, the team, or on stage.
Our cultural work focuses on diversity, community/participation, awareness, and inclusion. These themes are addressed through varied and interdisciplinary formats, organized during the day, on weekdays, and also during the events. In this way, we actively contribute to a more diverse and inclusive cultural scene in Bern and Switzerland by promoting communities and intercantonal exchanges beyond linguistic regions.
Our spaces offer slots for over 700 artists annually, whom 60% are TINFA, BIPOC, and queer individuals. Event programming is carried out in collaboration with partner organizations, labels, and collectives. In addition to collaborating with over 20 organizations such as Okra Collective (Basel), CRTTR (Bern), Queer Underground Movement (Bern), or TRNSTN RADIO (Fribourg), we are delighted to host the ACT Performance Festival and the Kulturesk Festival in our premises for the first time in 2025. We are also part of the project team and will be the hosting venue for FUCK FAIR – a two-week interdisciplinary exhibition on the theme of sexual consent.
HOW YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS USED
To overcome this critical financial situation and complete our transformation process, we need financial support to ensure short-term operations (goal 1) and successfully carry out the transformation (goal 2).
Help us preserve and transform our spaces. By doing so, you make a valuable contribution to the diversity of the local and national cultural scene.
If you cannot support us financially but wish to get involved in other ways for Kulturräume am Bollwerk (e.g., by giving some of your time as a volunteer), please do not hesitate to contact us.
