This document discusses factors that contribute to the success or failure of non-state cultural, civic, and youth projects in obtaining and sustaining spaces for their activities. It analyzes data from 8 case studies of such projects in Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). The analysis finds some common determinants of success across projects, including affordable costs, devoted leaders, and lack of conflicts. However, QCA has limitations for this type of cross-cultural comparison given differences between projects and challenges obtaining data on failed cases. While preliminary, the analysis suggests some key factors that characterize the surveyed projects.

1. Appropriating Urban
Spaces to Local Scenes
Jānis Daugavietis
Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art - University of Latvia (Rīga)
Jāzeps Bikše
FREE RIGA

2. What makes non-state cultural, civic and
youth projects successful or not to obtain
and sustain the spaces for their creative
activities

3. Structure
Intro: problems, history and recent developments
(FreeRiga, D27, ETV cases)
Approach and methodology
Data and analysis
Conclusions

4. FreeRiga, D27, ETV
Bottom-up approach (our experience & competence)
FREE RIGA - temporary use
(D27, T17, P11, T13, T15, ZUNDA dārzs)
Tornis (1991-2009)
Totaldobže, KKC and other projects from Rīga and Latvia
ETV cases from all around Europe

6. ZUNDA GARDEN

7. Puškina 11
P11 (Puškina str. 11)

8. D27 (Dzirnavu str. 27)

10. Approach and methodology
Ethnographic, grounded (Glaser, Strauss 2017 [1967])
and insider (Bennett 2003, Hodkinson 2005) research
Crowdsourced
Data collection: CAWI (LimeSurvey)
Analysis: QCA
Bennett, A. (2003). The use of ‘insider’knowledge in ethnographic research on contemporary youth music scenes.
In Researching youth (pp. 186-199). Palgrave Macmillan UK.
Hodkinson, P. (2005). ‘Insider research’in the study of youth cultures. Journal of Youth Studies, 8(2), 131-149.
Glaser, B. (2017). Discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Routledge.

11. logical (deterministic) not a statistical (probabilistic)
case, not variable oriented
'Bridge between qual and quant' (Ragin 1987)
- a technique based on set theory and inferential logic or Boolean algebra
- causal conditions
(causes and causal structure - or configurations of causes)
- two main submethods: crisp sets and fuzzy sets
Each case is described by including all independent variables in the data set
and the respective outcome
QCA finds multiple causal combinations
counterfactual analysis
Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), 1

12. QCA makes "to think in terms of configurations" (Dușa 2017: 182)
"The analysis of sufficiency is the main purpose of the QCA methodology, to
find the minimal configurations of conditions that are sufficient for a given
outcome." (Dușa 2017: 135) … or to find a causal configuration
critique: divisions - arbitrary
"... highly sensitive to the way in which each case must be coded in a binary
fashion." (Marshall 1998)
Ragin, C. (1987). The comparative method: Moving beyond qualitative and quantitative methods. Berkeley: University of California.
Rihoux, B., & Ragin, C. C. (2008). Configurational comparative methods: Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) and related techniques (Vol. 51). Sage Publications.
Marshall, G. "Qualitative Comparative Analysis." A Dictionary of Sociology. 1998. Retrieved December 16, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O88-qualitativecomparatvnlyss.html
Dușa, A. (2017). The QCA with R book [draft]. Springer.
Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), 2

13. DATA:
RAW
RECODED
CUSTOMIZED

14. ● Central location / good public transport
● Private ownership or long-term contract
● Moderate rental prices and running
costs
● Sub (?) stainable business model which
provides at least the running costs
● Good and personal relationship to the
neighbours
● Find and build on common interests
with the neighbours
● Precise targeting of your
audience and matching your
services to their needs
● Catchy communication
● Devoted leader figure who is
fully committed to the project,
and who gathers team around
him.
● An inspiring and attractive vision
● SOROS or NER (need to make
[political] choice between main
political and financial powers)
RAW DATA (one of four sets: Budapest team)

15. RAW FACTOR ANALYSIS
● Stated clarified 63 factors
● Factors provided by each city differ in their focuses
● Common determinants with all four cities:
○ Internal and external factors
○ Functioning project is dependent on at least relatively stable income system. They are existing in larger
economic systems and often are involved in business like activities.
○ Wide interpretation of success, not all projects aim on reaching large audiences or be financially
sustainable through long term.
○ Strong visual identity and directed public relations are necessary to communicate with audience.
○ Understanding (compass) of legal and political situation
● Differences in determinants with all four cities:
○ Money and externally related factors are common in Riga and Budapest
○ Team and org. structure most present in Berlin
○ Media planning and PR most present in Amsterdam

16. Recoded, aggregated, recategorized
aim, goal, targets
cooperation
audience
externals
money
team requisites
team work
neighbours
location
place
space
PR

17. "{projectname}" got significant seed money or
resources needed for starting
(like grant, cash, sound equipment or office techniques)
Affordable renting/ running costs (for
"{projectname}")
(rental, electricity, water, heating...)
Situated in a good location
(accessible by public transport, favorable connection to transportation,
not far away from the center/ target audience residences)
Private ownership of space or long-term contract
Facilities (building, rooms...) in good condition with
necessary amenities
(with electricity, water, heat etc.)
No conflicts with neighbours
No conflicts with the external stakeholders
(good relationships with the owner of space - landlord, municipality...)
Devoted leader/-s
(figure who is fully committed to the project, and who gathers team
around him/ her)
Experience (of "{projectname}" team members) in
similar projects, knowledge of different practical and
legal aspects
18 ‘conditions’ for CAWI
Good and structured organisation of team's everyday
activities
(established democratic procedures and regular practice, professional paperwork
etc.)
Strict and detailed plan and developed strategy for
"{projectname}"
Consensus in "{projectname}" team - common interests
and clear aim, goal and targets
(not dispersed, unfocused...)
Success in audience/ community targeting, building
(matching your services to their needs)
Successful external communication, PR
(good communication plan, good press, strong visual ID...)
Overall democratic environment
(democratic political regime, not destructive attitude of repressive organs,
favourable legal conditions for your project, tolerant city dwellers etc.)
Internationalization/ multiculturality of the city
Contacts with similar national projects and community
Contacts with similar international projects and community

18. https://tinyurl.com/AppropriatingUrban

19. 8 CASES SURVEYED:
TORNIS Rīga, Latvia 1991-2009
Undergound music shop/ culture center Rīga, Latvia 1995
GreenClub Vilnius Vilnius, Lithuania 1998-2006
Epitsentr Infoshop St Petersburg Russia 2003-2004
Puskinstreet flat, open for concerts, cinema etc. Rīga, Latvia 2005 - ...
Brasalona Rīga, Latvia 2014
Zunda Dārzs Rīga, Latvia 2015 summer - 2017 autumn 2016-2017
D27 Rīga, Latvia May of 2017 From June of 2017 - ...
“Anarchist/punk infoshop in St Petersburg 2003-04, run from the Gender studies centre in
Kronverkskaya street. Sold tapes/zines, ran a small library, held events like film nights”

22. Conclusion, 1
Project in progress, development, pilot….
QCA method: fruitful, but problematic
a) NON-STATE CULTURAL, CIVIC AND YOUTH PROJECTS - different
(cultures, regimes, time span, fields…)
b) CATI instead of CAWI
(w/ extended question guidelines)
c) hard to get FAILED CASES
d) evaluation of factors (conditions) - voluntary,subjective, unclear ...
QCA method: just one from, not the only one

23. Conclusion, 2
Preliminary on NON-STATE CULTURAL, CIVIC AND YOUTH PROJECTS
From factors come out subset that strongly characterize surveyed
projects (affordable costs, devotion, lack of seed money …)
“Always different, always the same.” (John Peel on The Fall)

24. Thanks!
https://tinyurl.com/AppropriatingUrban
http://www.luna.net.lv/aptauja/index.php/733282?lang=en