In brief

Vaste principles

There are variables and invariables in the way of how Vaste operates. The variables are the members of the co-operative and the art forms they work with, the clients and the collaborator. Also the contexts and interest groups change and vary a great deal. The invariables are the idea of a better world with humanistic values. The value-base can be built through art and arts-based thinking by the wide-ranging expertise of the artists.  

THE BETTER WORLD 
The better world means future, which will be equal and open-minded, energetic and creative. VASTE aims in its activities at meaningfulness, and experiences instead of everlasting performance, efficiency and seeking of economic growth. Furthermore, meaningfulness and experiences having intrinsic value, those are also building materials for society with solidarity and equity, for healthier nature and better-balanced humans.

VALUE-BASE IN ART 
Art can be applied in its different forms to enhance soft values, critical thinking, and courage. Should something to be done and achieved, it shall be done properly, meaning immersing oneself fully, with empathy and high ethic. In creating art, in applying arts, or in arts-based development these things are present naturally and per se.

ARTIST’S KNOW-HOW  
Art acknowledges importance of having fun and sensibleness. Artist’s know-how is associated with understanding the value of immaterial and social capital and with necessity of sustainable development. Artist’s know-how includes skills to enhance sense of belonging and experience of being integral part of the society. That’s why art, arts-based thinking and activity are an invincible tool.

Background and experience

VASTE is the co-operative of Lahti based artists and creative practitioners established in the year 2016. VASTE offers services in art, art pedagogy, applied art and communication, as well as commissioned art, context art and transformative design services. The value principles of the coop’s operation are ethical sustainability, creating meaningfulness and sharing experiences by action and interaction between people. In Finnish language “vaste” means “support”, “reaction”, “counterpart” or “correlation”. These terms aptly describe the nature of partnership VASTE aims to offer. The coop gets its aspiration from a scenario, where the world is equal, unobstructed, tolerant, broad-minded, humane and creative.

The objectives of VASTE are described in the official rules of the cooperative as follows:

• Art and culture co-operative VASTE practices trade on various fields of art and culture in order to advance and promote the employment of artists.
• The main sectors of trade activity are artistic creating, providing and marketing cultural services, applying art to non-artistic industries, knowledge creation and research.
• In addition to above VASTE offers advice, expertise and training on pedagogy, exhibition and event activity, sales of artwork and publishing on the areas of artistic and creative work.
• Operation of VASTE may also include any other legal trade.

From the year 2019 to now VASTE has executed 28 projects and during its existence 132 projects in total. The projects range from art policy consultation to commissioned artworks, art courses and workshops for all age groups, art methods for action research and academic projects, applied arts in health care units etc. The clients vary from the public sector (City of Lahti, Päijät-Häme Joint Authority for Health and Wellbeing) and governmental sector (National Board of Education), institutions (regional Art Museums of Lahti and Jyväskylä, Lappeenranta Technical University) to private sector companies and private individuals.

In October 2020 VASTE had 14 members and a reasonably wide network of external collaborators in the Päijät-Häme region and Helsinki metropolitan area. The experience of VASTE is based on its members and on the immaterial capital of them. 

Full legal name: Taide- ja kulttuuriosuuskunta VASTE
Acronym: VASTE
National ID: 2759859-1
Address: Hollolankatu 9, 15110 Lahti, Finland
Email: osuuskuntavaste@gmail.com
Telephone: +358 40 515 3693