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Description
The aim of the project is to create a self-sustaining community centre in Tartu that supports 14 to 40 year old members of the LGBT+ community through organizing events and social entrepreneurship. Using the methods of co-creation and service design, and with the input and help of the local LGBT+ community, a community centre will be created that aims to be a safe space for the community and serves as a meeting place, as well as a place for hosting cultural events in Tartu. The centre will sell books, the art of local members of the LGBT+ community, as well as create jobs for them. Events hosted during the project will support the social situation of the LGBT+ community, who will additionally assess the necessity of certain events.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to create more opportunities for the LGBT+ community in Tartu to connect and spend time together, with the goal of enriching the city''s cultural scene, fostering new groups to organize events and projects, facilitating collaboration among various LGBT+ organizations and activists, and strengthening the local community through mutual support. It sought to establish the Peemot Center to shift the focus of LGBT+ initiatives beyond Tallinn to Tartu. The project aimed to make events previously held only in Tallinn, such as support group meetings for transgender people, available in Tartu, to bring together a network of active volunteers and activists for easier collaboration, and to provide a dedicated space for LGBT+-focused events in the city. More broadly, the project sought to address the lack of an LGBT+ community center in Tartu, the need for a platform supporting LGBT+ artists and creatives, the challenges faced by LGBT+ individuals who belong to other minority groups in making their voices heard, the limited opportunities for socializing outside of party settings, and the widespread discrimination caused by a lack of understanding of gender and sexual minorities.
Through the organization of weekly events and active promotion on social media, approximately 20 volunteers became involved with the Peemot Center. The activities organized by the center attracted an estimated total of over 1,200 participants. The primary focus was on art and culture-related events, which naturally drew individuals interested in these topics, aligning with the project''s initial objectives. Creative individuals who were particularly interested in specific events were supported in bringing their ideas to life with the help of the center.
As a result of the project, a community center for the LGBT+ community was established, serving as both a safe space and a meeting place for like-minded individuals. Within its first year, the Peemot Center attracted 19 dedicated volunteers who contributed according to their skills and interests. The center developed a network with various non-profits and organizations, including Estonian Trans Alliance, Tartu LGBT+, CSO Vikerliit, Lille Youth Centre, Kogo Gallery, and Estonian Medical Students'' Association. Additionally, it received the title of Rainbow Hero in the field of youth work and education from Estonian LGBT Association.
The project enabled the non-profit Behemoth’s Books to collaborate with other members of the Estonian LGBT+ non-profit network in organizing events and joint initiatives. These included planning Tartu Pride 2024, hosting support group meetings for transgender and non-binary individuals, attending Baltic Pride 2023, and coordinating events for Festheart. The community center also facilitated cooperation among Tartu’s LGBT+ activists, who worked together on new projects and ideas to enhance the city''s inclusivity for the LGBT+ community.