4lthangrund - new space

4lthangrund für Alle is a collective and a related space in Vienna that has been developing since 2018. Space is a scarce resource, not only in Vienna. Especially, people and groups with little or no money cannot get space or can only barely afford it. This applies not only to rising rents and housing, but also to collective space for culture, art, social and self organized political work. Since 2018, 4lthangrund has developed from a small group organizing anti-fascist solidarity events into a large neighbourhood based sociocultural center that is used by many and where there is easy access to space for implementing all kinds of ideas.

Since 2020, we have organized a regular monthly program (https://www.4lthangrund.jetzt/category/monatsprogramm/) and numerous other activities. The space we use collectively has always been open to anyone who needs space themselves and has similar agendas. Over time, for example, a food coop has developed that supplies over 60 people with affordable regional and seasonal vegetables, a neighborhood newspaper and a shared resource pool for equipment. Numerous groups (https://www.4lthangrund.jetzt/raum-fuer/) use the space with us to hold their meetings in the rooms, to organize themselves and to implement their work.

Despite the difficult last two years, which were marked by the pandemic and an increasingly uncertain space situation, we have grown as a collective and more groups have joined us. After being able to use the rooms free of charge through the University of Fine Arts, which no longer supports us, we now have to pay rent for the first time.

Since we have grown over the last few years and our current rooms are no longer available, we not only need new ones, but also bigger ones. Some groups organized with us will contribute part of their budget to the rental costs - but this is not enough to cover our needs. With crowdfunding, we therefore want to bring in additional funds to make this possible.

As a sociocultural centre, it is important for us to be accessible and open to all who want to participate. For us, this means being accessible with low barriers and providing cost-free access to our programme. Our rooms can already be used free of charge by projects and groups with little or no financial means. By organising financial resources together through crowdfunding and other solidarity activities, we can continue to make this possible.

We have different audiences for our activities. Much of what we do (foodcoop, newspaper, programme) is aimed directly at the neighbourhood. There are extra parts of the programme for children and a kids-space.

It is also important for us to offer space to groups that are active in civil society, self-organised and collective. There are far too few of these in Vienna (and in general) - we offer space for groups that want to use space together with us.

The long-term goal is for 4lthangrund for All to be a permanent part of the district, connected to the area and with a permanent location in its own space.

The activities of all the groups involved can only take place through a secured space situation, the pandemic has also caused a lack of donation income due to a lack of events. Those who find our activities, goals and approaches important support through the crowdfunding collective organizing, diverse cultural work and solidarity-based activism.

The money will be used to secure the future spaces for this year. In the larger federation of many active groups, most of which work on a voluntary basis, more space is needed and no rent has been involved in the space we have been using until now. In addition, necessary equipment is purchased to create a proper infrastructure for everyone, such as a well-equipped kitchen and missing event equipment (sound, light, projector) or office supplies. The idea is to have the infrastructure covered to be able to continue to work until larger events and further cultural funding are possible again.