The cultural industry and its productions have launched an initiative to approach art and culture from a socialist perspective, understanding that the capitalist conception of the world and cultural underdevelopment generate: Cultural initiative by Socialists Ekida.

As the drivers have explained, the initiative responds to attempts to work culture from a socialist perspective “within the framework of the socialist will that has developed in Euskal Herria in recent years”. Specifically, it is a question of addressing shared intuitions and reflections in conferences, round tables, etc. and to give “continuity, structure and roof” to the reflection. “It has the will to have a space to work together on all these concerns and passions,” they explained.

The initiative, which was launched in web format, will include reports, interviews, opinions and criticisms about art and culture, as well as artistic productions. Although it has become known as a means of communication, in the near future it also wants to be a stimulus for other projects.

Cultural sub-teaching at the meeting point

The proponents understand that the principles of communist organization that seek to make the overcoming of capitalist society possible must also be extended to the cultural sphere, and following this purpose is born Ekida, whose main objective is “to break with apathy and individualism and to provide a space to address the construction of an artistic production of its own that questions the meanings and forms imposed by capitalist society”.

As explained in the introductory note, “the workers are also culturally defeated: we are not able to think anything beyond capitalist society, impotence and frustration fill our way of life, and that is what our artistic expressions count instead of helping to imagine overcoming this situation. In addition, the world of culture itself is shown as never before depoliticized. There is almost no controversy beyond elitism and false superficial alternism, and artistic production has been strengthened in nostalgia and individualism.” In the face of this, they intend to contrast the socialist vision with the predominant way of understanding culture, seeking to “reactivate the political debate, encourage criticism and develop new artistic forms” in the cultural sphere.

Package sizes

Ekeka has been made known via the network, but in the coming days a number of presentations have been launched for the future. They have four dates for February: day 12 in Bergara (at 18:00 hours); 17 in Bilbao (at 19:00 hours) in gaztetxe 7Katu; 18 in Donostia-San Sebastian (at 18:00 hours in the San Jerónimo room); and 26 in Pamplona (at 18:00 hours in the Katakrak bookstore). On 14 March, however, the presentation will take place at the gaztetxe Putzuzuzulo in Zarautz at 11:00 hours.