Cultural platform at Slättarps Gård 2024-2413

About the project

In the open landscape of Söderslätt lies Slättarps Gård – a well-visited getaway that offers inspiration, shopping, and culinary experiences year-round for both young and old. Slättarps cultural association aims to establish a long-term sustainable public cultural activity at the farm with a focus on creation – a place for art, design, and crafts. The association wants to organize events such as exhibitions, concerts, theater, circus, and dance that are open to everyone with special initiatives for children, youth, and the elderly. The purpose is to promote creativity and contribute to creating a meaningful leisure time and a healthy life for people of all ages. The association's goal is to conduct cultural activities in the Skåne countryside to promote the development of Söderslätt as a destination and contribute to the region's and municipality's attractiveness. The vision is also to promote the cultural and creative industries by creating a meeting place for professional practitioners at Slättarps Gård. The ambition is to improve the conditions for practitioners to operate in Skåne – even outside the cities. The cultural association wants to run and develop Slättarps studio – a creative open meeting place with an art gallery, open studios, spaces for workshops, and office spaces at the farm. A public space for painting, photography, ceramics, textiles, silverwork, and design objects in wood/cork. The studio should be accessible to visitors during the farm's opening hours, as well as at events such as ”open studio” when the creators are working on-site. Slättarps cultural association would also like to explore the possibilities of developing a collective workshop in the studio. An initiative to meet the needs of professional practitioners for artistic production spaces in the countryside. To create a collective workshop for ceramics and metalwork at the farm with a kiln, potter's wheels, and larger work tables for rolling and modeling. The workshop would also include course activities with various creative focuses. The cultural association plans to create an open children's workshop in the studio by 2025. In a designated part of the premises, there is space for a creative room with materials and inspiring tasks for creation in various forms. At different times of the year, guided children's activities are planned together with active artists and designers for various ages. Popular ”Teddy Bear Killer workshop” – upcycling old stuffed animals that get a new life. Paint graffiti, create with clay, wood, or cork. In connection with school breaks, creative treasure hunts for children are organized. The cultural association also wants to invite seniors to various creative workshops. To create together in clay, wood, and cork or beautiful paper flowers. At the farm, there is a 400 sqm barn with space for exhibitions, concerts, theater, or workshops in a beautiful cultural environment. Slättarps cultural association wants to build an extensive network and collaborate with cultural creators, organizations, and associations from all over Skåne to fill the place with a rich cultural offering for both the region's residents and long-distance visitors. The association would also like to explore the possibilities of starting an annual cultural festival for the public at the farm. To develop a concept for Slättarps festival through collaboration with the farm's entrepreneurs that could encompass a variety of experiences in different forms. • Long-term development of strategy, financing, collaborations, and networks • Development of a meeting place for professional practitioners (Slättarps studio) • Development of a children's workshop in the studio • Implementation of workshops for children and youth • Implementation of workshops for the elderly • Feasibility study: Needs and financing of ”Collective workshop for ceramics and metalwork” • Feasibility study: Collaboration and financing of ”Slättarps Cultural Festival”

An attractive destination all year round: Slättarps cultural association's purpose is to conduct cultural activities in the Skåne countryside to promote the development of Söderslätt as a destination and contribute to the region's attractiveness. Slättarps Gård is a well-visited retreat year-round. Söderslätt, with its beaches, charming farm shops, and beautiful nature experiences, offers wonderful experiences during the bright months, but it is more challenging for both locals and tourists to find destinations that are open when the autumn's moisture haze and fog settle over the plain. At Slättarps Gård, there are several buildings with cozy indoor spaces that can accommodate many people. Adding cultural experiences to the already flourishing farm increases its appeal year-round. An attractive destination for creative industries: The economy in Söderslätt is dominated by sole proprietorships or small businesses, which is representative of activities within the creative industries. The creative companies are an obvious part of the Swedish economy. In June 2024, the parliament decided that the cultural and creative sectors are a new base industry in Sweden (they generate significantly more revenue than the Swedish forestry and food industries). To develop and promote local creative businesses in Skåne, meeting places are needed even outside the cities. Slättarps cultural association wants to create a platform for professional practitioners at the farm. In the western part of the main building, there is Slättarps studio – a space with great opportunities for experience and knowledge exchange with good conditions to reach a broad audience. There is a clear demand for locally produced goods. The vision is to eventually develop a collective workshop for crafts and design, which attracts both creative businesses and creates a unique destination where the audience can get close to the creators' creative processes. An attractive destination for future community builders: The countryside is attractive to many families with children, creating a demand for meaningful leisure activities. The cultural association's investment in children's workshops and activities contributes to the destination's attractiveness. Promoting creativity and personal creation is important for shaping future citizens. Innovative thinking is crucial to meet future sustainability challenges. Extensive use of social media affects young people's self-image and contributes to mental health issues. The association wants to promote and strengthen young people's self-confidence and courage to drive development. Since activities for children and youth will take place in Slättarps studio, inspiration and role models can be found among the professional creators at the farm. A breeding ground for young entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative sectors. An attractive destination for the older generation: Participating in cultural experiences creates community and enriches people's lives. The association wants to create creative activities for the elderly with the aim of combating loneliness and contributing to both health and a rich aging experience. Development of the destination through transformation and reuse: At Slättarps Gård, there is a 400 sqm carefully renovated barn, which was taken down from the Sugar Factory in Trelleborg in the early 1900s to be reassembled at the farm. The barn is accessible and approved for public activities. By transforming the barn and giving it new life and functionality, we reduce climate impact and preserve our cultural heritage. We reshape an existing space and create an accessible meeting place in the middle of the fields on the plain – contributing to a vibrant countryside for many people. Culture strengthens Söderslätt's identity and attractiveness: Investing in cultural offerings and promoting cultural creators provides great opportunities to develop Söderslätt's brand. It is clear that culture is an important reason for the attractiveness of places like Österlen. There are all opportunities to develop culture in Söderslätt, and therefore it is important to have influential meeting places such as Slättarps Gård.