MEDIKA SQUAT info

in time when the world based on money is stuck in recession, when management and economy are threaten in our city, there is almost nobody talking about death of culture which is chocking between capital logic of newborn cultural industry and closed doors of city office for culture..
autonomic cultural centre Medika is thoughtful as place of opened doors where everybody can get space for keeping cultural, educationally, socially-useful activities and we are hoping that this space will be properly used.. the main goal of Medika is everyday maintenance of miscellaneous program and if we can make some fun, educate, inform or be inspiration to someone we won't have anything against that..

the reasons for creating akc Medika:
big number of associations, independent collectives or free artists are confronted with problems such as where and how perform their activities.. the price of space for performing cultural events in most of clubs, theaters and halls are to expensive for the programs which are non profit and which are engaged in youth and independent culture..
because of that rental of the space and technical equipment is often the main reason of inability of performing independent cultural events.. without presentation of their work and without scene where artist would be situated, the creativity of youth is sentenced on amateurism, isolation and many financial difficulties, which shouldn't conditioning status of the independent cultural scene and youth cultural scene..

history:
preceding to the project of Medika was cooperation of few Zagrebs squatters and association "Atack!" (which was without their own space from 2003).. in that time collaboration was realized on organizing ilegal parties in most unusual locations in town which would be squatted just for that one night.. after about 20 squat parties invasion at the "Lapidarij" was happened.. it was first organized action for assignment of space to youth and independent cultural scene.. http://www.h-alter.org/vijesti/kultura/attack-na-lap
but as the space at "Lapa" didn't satisfy conditions of all people interested in, the action was transfered at Medika.. the space of former factory of medications Medika is complex area of few thousand m2.. it is located in the canter of town, it is on good shape and from 2003 it is in property of Zagreb city and from then is empty, worthless and exposed to decay.. after initial cleaning and making space in order, in November 2008 there was organized big, supported by media, opening of Medika.. but police arrived very quickly and dispel for about 500 people.. even if we was contacted leaders of city office for culture, education and sport before occupation of Medika, we was remained without answer.. although, with undefined status "Attack!" and squatters was started with renovation of broken parts, cleaning and recovering spaces on their own cost and using factory illegal to December 2008, when the police followed by city security services throw out on the street squatters and all property of all associations which was using space until then.. http://www.zarez.hr/pages/245/z_info.html
this day there was officially born the "initiative Medika", action of unions consist of associations and independent collectives which was demanding legal using of former factory.. 1 January 2009 there was signed a contract with the city and that's how Zagreb was getting first autonomic centre.. first legalized squat..
http://www.vjesnik.hr/html/2009/01/10/Clanak.asp?r=kul&c=1
if you are interested in using space or you simply want to know something about it contact as at medikainfo@gmail.com .. all other informations find at http://www.pierottijeva11.org/ or http://www.myspace.com/medikasquat