Cultural centres Manifatture Knos (Italy) and Stanica (Slovakia) co-operate to promote the potential of non-governmental organizations to transform abandoned spaces into the socio-cultural centres. Both believe that independent organizations can revitalize and run such spaces for the benefit of the local communities. The co-operation is the result of the Trans Europe Halles project Engine Room Europe.

Regional government will support the socio-cultural activities in small local railway stations and also the renovations of the stations. The budget for this program is 110 000 EUR. The public call for project proposals was declared last week. Regional politicians and non-profit organizations believe that it will be a valuable investment to develop public transport, local communities, cultural tourism and visibility of the region. There is only one small problem, because this is going to happen only in the Italian region of Puglia and not in Slovakia. Anyway, this news are very positive. This process is partly result of a long-term work and lobby of cultural association Manifatture Knos. Maniffature Knos team successfully transformed an abandoned industrial space of the former technical hi-school and training centre of a factory in Lecce, South Italy.

Several railway stations in the Italian region Puglia will be transformed into socio-cultural centers soon. Robert Blasko from cultural center Stanica and Michele Bee made in the beginning of December 2012 a presentation on experiences of Stanica in Lecce, Italy. Guglielmo Minervini, the Head of Regional Transport Department, introduced the plan called Local Mind for journalists and non-profit organizations.

There are about 11 railway stations of the size covering ​​80 to 300 square meters that were abandoned or unused by the railway company. Now the citizens’ associations can submit project-applications to revitalize the railway stations and they can use them for the period of at least 6 years. They will be supported by the regional government. “I was surprised when I met regional politicians in Italy who believe in such innovative projects and in addition they want to support them. Unfortunately, this kind of understanding does not exist in Slovakia,” said Robert Blasko, the project manager of Stanica.

Cultural centre Stanica was presented as a functioning example of the revival of an abandoned railway station and its industrial area. Presentation and public debate on the subject took place in the independent cultural centre Manifatture Knos, which is a new member of Trans Europe Halles, the European network of independent cultural centres.
Interior of cultural centre Manifatture Knos, Lecce, Italy.
Michele Bee (one of the founder of the Manifatture Knos), Róbert Blaško (Stanica)