Making / Holding / Giving Space

Cultivating relationships and trust requires not only creating spaces but also intentionally making, holding, and giving them. These three interconnected actions—Making Space, Holding Space, and Giving Space—are fundamental to our approach. This framework helps us foster inclusivity, encourage dialogue, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to contribute meaningfully. By defining these actions, we create a foundation for deeper engagement and collective growth.

Making Space involves creating opportunities for new experiences and ways of thinking to emerge, designing an environment where creativity can unfold freely. When we opened Galeria 17, we aimed to provide a platform for artistic experimentation and social engagement. However, without the funds to renovate the space, this vision seemed out of reach. It was only through a crowdfunding campaign—supported by artists, curators, activists, and citizens who believed in the power of art and dialogue to drive change—that we brought it to life. Their energy and commitment transformed Galeria 17 into a space for conversations reflecting the complexities of our shared social environment.

Building on this, we created Rezidenca 17, a hub for artistic practice, research, collaboration, and exhibition, located in Prishtina and housed in the former residence of Hivzi Sulejmani—a public building co-managed with the Municipality of Prishtina—offering studios and communal spaces designed for interdisciplinary engagement and renovated with hands-on support from the local community.

Holding Space is the next vital step in this process. Once space is made, it must be held. This means actively listening, being present, and ensuring that all participants feel heard, supported, and respected. It requires a deep commitment to fostering an atmosphere of trust, safety, and openness. In our exhibition Queer Ecology, holding space meant creating an environment where artists could work, experiment, and interact with the public without judgment or constraint. We designed the space so it could be as intimate as it was open, as personal as it was public. It served as a private workspace for artists, offering them the freedom to develop ideas, explore materials, and engage in critical reflection. At the same time, it remained open to the public at key moments—through scheduled visits, discussions, and interactive sessions—allowing audiences to witness and participate in the creative process. This transformation of the space encouraged a dynamic exchange between artists, theorists, ecologists, and community members, bridging artistic practice with environmental and social discourse. By shifting between personal and public modes, the gallery became more than just an exhibition space; it evolved into a working studio, a learning environment, and a site of collective engagement where artmaking became an act of shared inquiry.

Giving Space is about stepping back and allowing others to fully occupy the space with their voices, their stories, and their creativity. It’s an act of opening the door and letting others walk through it, creating a shared environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute. At Shtatëmbëdhjetë, an independent cultural organization based in Prishtina, giving space means offering our venues and resources for both short-term and long-term use. Whether it is for a onetime event—a performance, a public talk, or a gathering—or for extended engagements such as artist residencies or collaborative working studios, we open our doors to anyone with something to share. In this way, we not only give space for creation but also for relationships to form and grow.

At Rezidenca 17, this philosophy takes shape through flexible offerings: Artists, activists, and community members can use the space for short-term needs like hosting a lecture or exhibition, but they can also take part in long-term residencies where they have the opportunity to engage deeply with their work and with each other. Similarly, at Galeria 17 the space provides artists and curators with the freedom to conceive, transform, and utilize the space according to their artistic and curatorial visions. This flexibility not only enhances the creative process but also facilitates and includes the audience in a shared experience of communication and growth.

Thus, through Making Space, Holding Space, and Giving Space, we create environments that are both physically secure and emotionally and intellectually enriching. This holistic approach to space serves as the foundation for building trust and lasting relationships among artists, researchers, activists, and community members who engage with our work. Our community includes creatives from diverse disciplines, theorists exploring new ideas, and citizens invested in social and environmental change—all coming together to foster dialogue, collaboration, and critical thinking.