Seoul Youth Creativity Summit & Festival

Looking at the worldwide economic crisis, which seems to have heralded the end of the neoliberal era, we have come to think about ‘creativity’ as perhaps a modern antiquity. We must unearth new solutions in order to pass through this crisis. Regardless of whether or not we transcend this “age of neo-liberalism, where only capital is free”, our children must be born and raised and must study and live within this society.

As such, we must end the foolishness of talking about ‘utilitarian creativity’ and ‘creativity of isolated geniuses’ which have led to this crisis. Living in an age in which everything is reduced to techniques and tools, we hope to tell the story of creativity by talking about public service, creative common fields, and stories of honor, respect, friendship and sharing.

Why does haja center bring up ‘creativity?

The haja Center was resulted from experiencing the various problems of the Korean society which had undergone the IMF relief loan system in 1998. Every generation then faced a crisis, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Yonsei University especially sought the methods by which teenagers, who would live in the risky society of a low economic growth and a high unemployment during twenties-thirties, wouldn't lose vitality of life and would practice social sharing. Gathering the public wisdom and ways, the Haja Center was opened by official-civil, industrial-academic cooperation in 1999.

In the first stage, the haja Center had run the 5 studios such as web, visual arts, music, design and civil studio, and the planners and workmen in twenties-thirties and the artisans from various circles had carried out a variety of apprenticeship projects with teenagers, seeking mutual growth by establishing creative relations. On the base of this experience, the haja center started to foster haja production school, noridan, organization Yori, and the Hope Network to raise creative youth who can react to the various social issues. These days, haja incubates nascent social enterprises through ‘Create! Social Enterprise Project NOW’, organizes related academy programs, and spread and share information and experience through international exchanges.

Global Spaces to Discuss Creativity: the Seoul Youth Creativity Center and the Seoul Youth Creativity Summit & Festival

The Korean society faced the global financial crisis again, running deeper in the more serious social polarization and disruption than 10 years ago. Due to the situation, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Yonsei University have agreed that it's time to make fresh, new plans for the whole parts of life from children to youths and middle-agers as well as teenagers. Accordingly, the Seoul Youth Factory for Alternative Culture will be reopened as the 'Seoul Youth Creativity Center' until 2010.

The creativity for which the Haja Center searches is to create the model of lifelong study by which children, the youth and the middle-aged care for and serve each other and work for mutual growth. It is also that all the projects for which the Haja Center pushes work as the social economy with friendship and welcome to create youth's social jobs.

Finally, it is that the results are shared with the socially fragile groups such as children, teenagers, youth and women, contributing to the spread of the public dream and love by global network.

In September 2008, together with youth from the globalized cities as well as with experts from different countries who have together endured the neoliberal storm and worries about the issues of our era, haja Center hosted an international Symposium to gather resources and search for solutions. At that meeting, the participants concluded that creativity is the “power to discover and solve problems,” and that, through “dreams and narrative” as well as “care and self-sacrifice,” creativity is something connected to interdependence and collectivity, and community and inventive continuity, rather than to individual genius. There were also presentations of youth on creativity, open workshops, Seoul tour, as well as exhibitions and performances.

Haja Center

The haja Center is a youth workshop for work, play and freedom entrusted to Yonsei University by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. It opened on December 18, 1999, with the official name” Seoul Metropolitan Youth Vocational Experience Center.” It was called the Haja Center (“Let’s do it” in Korean) following its guiding principles of “upgrading your own life” “living while doing the work you want to do” and “freedom and coexistence.” “Let’s do it” as in “Hahahaha-haja, let’s do it with a laugh” “let’s become people prepared for the world” and “let’s do the work we want to do” Therefore, Haja emphasizes active learning and learning by doing.

On the basis of the experience during the past 10 years and 2009 Seoul Youth Creativity Summit & Festival, the haja center will be reopened as the 'Seoul Youth Creativity Center' on 2010. The Seoul Youth Creativity Center will be a platform for incubating social enterprises which provide creativity education, promote culture, and revitalize social creativity and expanding sustainable and public creativity infrastructure.

Seven Pacts of haja Center: Rights and Responsibilities

1. Do what we want, while doing what we must
2. No discrimination against age, gender, academic background, or region
3. Prohibition of violence of any kind
4. Take care of oneself/ Learn to respect boundaries
5. Share information and resources
6. Learn to think in other people's shoes/ Consideration and goodwill
7. Keep one's word/ Don't make promises that cannot be kept