MEME (Music Empowerment Mobility and Exchange)
Where?
The MEME Youth Rock Camp Exchange takes place in the Berlin state music academy in a large youth centre (the biggest in Europe!) called FEZ. This is all in a park called the Wuhlheide, in former East Berlin in Germany: we will all sleep in a bungalow village in this park in shared rooms. It is just north of the river Spree and 20 minutes by train from Alexanderplatz.
The currency in Germany is the euro. Most shops are closed on Sundays and some only accept cash. The average temperature in July is between 14 and 24 degrees celsius. Berlin is a city of 3.5 million people. The public transport system is integrated and you only need one ticket for a two hour trip in one direction.
Before the camp, you will meet locally with others from your camp who will be attending MEME.
When?
Arrive in Berlin on Sunday 22.07.2018 and check in.
Monday 23.07.2018: camp starts.
Saturday 28.07.2018: final day / concert.
Sunday 29.07.2018: brunch and travel home.
Who?
60 young people aged between 16 and 30 will take part (that’s you!)
There will be about 30 leaders, volunteers and musicians from different camps.
People will come from 11 rock camps from 10 countries: from Serbia, Poland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Ireland, the UK, Finland, Austria and Germany.
If you belong to one of these groups, then the camp is for you:
(((( Are some of these words new to you? See this glossary. ))))
●both cisgender and transgender girls and women
●trans and gender non-conforming youth and adults including trans boys and men
●intersex youth and adults
●people who generally have fewer opportunities and role models within music scenes and society in general
The host organisation is Ruby Tuesday in Germany.
What?
MEME will be a week long camp. There will be three “tracks”
Music making and band formation:
8 to 10 practice rooms will be kitted out with equipment and music instruments.
Just like in a regular rock camp, you will receive instruction in instrument playing, and you will make your practice room your home for the week! You will write songs together in your band.
If you want, you can play with your band on Saturday at the final concert.
Documentation and media making
There will be a film, documentation and media centre. Here there will be computers, cameras, a sound recorder, microphones, etc.
You will document the camp through film, doing and recording interviews, writing texts and taking photographs. You will learn about storytelling.
Organising.
You will learn about organising, project management and starting your own projects.
You will work together with the camp coordinators to run two events: a concert on Wednesday by Berlin bands and the concert by camp bands on Saturday.
You will learn about anti-discrimination work, conflict management and community and movement building.
Leaders will help you with language if you need that. English will be a foreign language for almost everyone. We will take time to make sure everyone understands what is being said.
There will be relaxation rooms in the state music academy that you can chill out in during the day.
There will be smaller and larger groups and lots of activities to get to know each other.
In the evenings, you will have a chance to watch films together, attend a concert of Berlin bands, do arts and crafts, do yoga, play games and dress up.
You can also just relax and do you own thing or hang out in small groups.
Everyday there will be breakfast, a hot midday meal, an evening meal and lots of snacks.
On Wednesday afternoon you will have a chance to either go sightseeing in Berlin or explore the park (with indoor swimming pool and outdoor bathing lake).
Why?
All of the camps are members of the Girls Rock Camp Alliance (GRCA) and have learned a lot from each other about making rock camps.
With the MEME project we want to continue this, but also learn from each other in a very practical and direct way - and in a youth centred way - and have fun!
We want to bring people together and for us all to express ourselves, believe in ourselves and try new things.
We want to create spaces in which we can experiment with music, with media and with ways of organising.
Everyone who participates in the MEME project has an influence on how it is created. We want to make spaces in which we can value and see each other and take responsibility for one’s own actions.