Cas*aupa

Juan C. P Rz
May 18, 2023
4 min read

Cas*aupa is a safe space for people, a “public house” for the community in which people can connect, express, create and participate in cultural activities. The building where Cas*aupa is located, was built in the 60’s as the aggregation centre of a peripheral newborn public neighborhood, ment to give a home to the working class or people who lost their houses during the second world war. The history of this building is perfectly in line with our vision: sharing a safe space and cultural contents with people, enriching the community, creating possibilities and giving youngsters a chance to express and be actively involved by volunteering. Live music has always played an important role in our organization together with all the others projects we are running like the “serigraphy room” where we print and do workshops, the ethnographic project “Immagini di una vale urbana” in which we are creating podcasts interviewing the voices of the neighborhood, international projects and our “plastic art laboratory” in which we recycle creatively plastic.

"Through creativity, you can share experiences, overcome frustration, and meet new people."

PlasticArt laboratory is based in Cas*aupa, started in 2020 inspired by the project “Precious plastic”, an international alternative plastic recycling system.

Facing the environmental crisis, we decided to actively respond by creating a space in which people can contribute to the recycling of plastic creatively.

We have been organizing, for three years now, educational workshops to raise social awareness of this huge issue both for children and adults.

Last year we involved 8 international young artists and artisans to create artworks in recycled plastic and this year 6 young artists and artisans built montessorian toys for kids in 100% recycled plastic.

The laboratory is a chance to discuss and point out a social issue and reach people through creativity.

Building Community: Cas*aupa as a Public House for Connection and Expression

How old is your organization?

Cas*aupa was born in 2009.

Which are the main activities you do?

Live music has always played an important role in our organization; music is freedom, expression, sharing and aggregation at the same time and it’s an enriching gift for the community.

Since 2015 bureaucracy changed and we couldn’t play live music inside our building anymore for security reasons. This led to a change of perspectives, we tried to open up to new ideas and focus on new activities which could have worked as connectors for people.

In these years many new projects were born, giving us the possibility to actively involve our volunteers, find new ones and share experiences with people and organizations we met.

At the moment we are working on a ethnographic project “Immagini di una vale urbana” in which we interview the voices of the neighborhood to record podcasts and create a map of memories.

We also have two laboratories: the “Screen printing LAB” where we print on tissues and paper and run workshops, and the “PlasticArt LAB” in which we creatively recycle plastic.

How many people are working in the organization?

There are 7-10 people managing the organization and around 15 volunteers from 18 to 45 years of age helping us and some external professionists on need.

What came first in your life? Creativity/artwork or social intervention/work?

I would say creativity, for sure. Personally, I’ve always thought in a creative way since I was a kid and I’ve always been attracted to arts, that’s also why I joined Cas*aupa.

I also believe in a strong connection between art and social work.

Can you describe the first work you have done, which connected social topics with creative tools?

I would say that the PlasticArt laboratory can be a good example of using creativity to speak about a huge social issue, in this case plastic pollution and recycling.

Throughout the creation of 100% recycled artistic and colorful objects we catch the attention of people, and we are able to teach the differences between the types of plastic.

This creative lab is run by young volunteers who can experience and learn new ways of using recycled material and work in team.

From last year we involved 6 young artists who create Montessori educational toys for kids made in recycled plastic and for 3 years we are making laboratories on creative recycling of plastic directed to kids, youngsters, adults and seniors to sensitize people to this topic.

"I think social work is caring: caring for others, caring for the planet, caring for the future. It has an important role in our lives and can determine the conditions of life of single individuals and whole communities."

Can you describe your relationship to creativity?

I see creativity as the key to connect people.

Through creativity you can share experiences, overcome frustration, and meet new people.

Creativity is expression and expression is sharing something that can reach many people and start a process of thinking and elaborating informations.

My relationship with creativity is a lifelong relationship! :)

Can you describe your relationship to social work?

I think social work is caring for others, for ourselves, for the planet, for the future.

It has an important role in our lives and can determine the conditions of life of single individuals and whole communities; it’s powerful and essential over time and places.