Crónica21 Archive: Building a Picture of the Present

WHY CRÓNICA21?

Crónica21 is a free, on-line, multidisciplinary archive of documentary stories and analysis about the deepening economic, political and social crisis in Spain.

Inspired by the Farm Security Administration initiative, part of US President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal of the 1930s, it is driven by the conviction that in order to act for change, it is crucial to be well informed.

Journalism and various forms of vibrant cultural and artistic expression not only frame reality, but can enable people to empathize with others and promote positive change. While there is much existing material addressing the current situation in Spain, it often does not reach the broad public and too frequently important stories go unread and unseen by a wide audience.

Our objective is to bring these existing stories and projects - and new ones - together into one central repository that can be easily accessed by everyone. By including photography, video, illustration, text, audio and web, we hope to provide enough material for analysis and interpretation of the current situation, so we can build a picture of the present and address the fundamental question: where can we go from here?

Crónica21 is an archive built in the common interest, and designed to continually feed new work from journalists and storytellers to the general public – employed, unemployed, retired, students and teachers, artists, entrepreneurs and administrators... We take on the task of keeping it current thanks to the generous support of people like you, who believe in the importance of being informed and engaged.

Crónica21 launches with more than 100 projects already archived. These include projects from all over Spain by photographers like Gianfranco Tripodo, Carlos Spottorno, Elisenda Pons and Julián Barón. Songs like 30 metros by Chico Ocaña, Marca España by Tejero, or No Fear by At Versaris. Films like €spanish Dr€am by Guillermo Cruz and Santiago Cirugéda and Manos Arriba, esto es un contrato by Javier Gascón. Links to books and also drawings by illustrators like Enrique Flores and Manel Fontdevila. It also highlights journalists and writers like Juan Luis Sánchez of eldiario.es, and Andreu Missé of Alternativas Económicas.

We have 3 long-term objectives:

1. To research and upload new projects continually. We will send out a monthly Newsletter informing subscribers of what’s new in the archive, and provide updates and engage the public in dialogue through our social network of twitter (@cronica21), Facebook and Instagram (Cronica21)

2. To promote the production of new, in-depth work addressing not just the causes and consequences of the crisis, but also the solutions being sought by Spaniards to their current situation.

3. To explore creative and innovative ways to distribute material from Crónica21’s archive to help stimulate public discourse and motivate for change. We aim to bring the stories to the public through, among other methods, theatrical and musical performances, poetry readings, public installations, film, lectures, exhibitions and publications.

WHAT WILL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS BE USED FOR?

The money raised through this crowdfunding campaign will cover the costs of building the digital archive and maintaining it on-line, setting up space and equipment, and expanding the archive and the outreach to reach a broader public.
(It also includes the cost of the funding campaign including postage, tax, paypal and bank surcharges, and the 5% fee for Verkami)

SCHEDULE

We launch the archive with more than 100 projects, on May 5, 2014. From that date on, we will upload between 2 – 6 new projects every two weeks, informing the public through our monthly newsletter and our social network. Also, immediately, we will start building up our off-line events and will keep the public informed about them. We now are organizing the following events:

• May 8, 2014. Presentation of the Crónica21 archive at the Poble Sec neighborhood Cooperative, La Base. http://www.labase.info/

• May 19 – July 31, 2014. Crónica21 will present a multimedia piece in a public evening projection, as part of the festival DOCfield 14 in Barcelona. http://www.docfieldbarcelona.org/

• May 25 - July 25, 2014. Crónica21 shows Grito, camino hacia Í-TACA a large scale photography exhibition, that takes place on the streets and round-a-bouts of varios towns in the Baix Empordá, in Catalunya (Parlabá, Torroella, Palafrugell, La Bisbal, La Pera...) Part of the festival Í-TACA http://www.itacacultura.cat/

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to learn about more events as they are scheduled.

All of the rewards, to be given in exchange for donations, will be sent within two weeks of successfully ending the Verkami crowdfunding campaign.

Set of 3 pins "una más y somos ola!" (One More and We're a Wave!) original design by Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.

Set of 9 postcards, each a photograph from the archive.

Book bag "una más y somos ola!" (One More and We're a Wave!) original design by Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.

A signed copy of the photography book "PAIN" by Toni Amengual “In Spain, the best way to keep a secret is to write a book” - Manuel Azaña. Size: 150 x 210 mm, Number of pages: 240, Offset printing, Japanese binding, Publishers: Be Brave Books, Design: Astrid Stavro & Pablo Martin.

Original, signed photograph by Àngel García. Fine-art print, certified Epson Digigraphie, series of 10. 20x30cm.

Original, signed photograph by Jordi Ruiz Cirera. Fine-art print, certified Epson Digigraphie, series of 5. 30x40cm.

Fotografía original de Joan Alvado, firmada por él. Fine-art print, certificado Epson Digigraphie, serie de 5. 40x50cm.

Original, signed photograph by Mara Catalán. Fine-art print, certified Epson Digigraphie, series of 5. 40x50cm.

The work collected and produced by Crónica21 provides voice and raises questions that can fuel public discourse and motivate for change. Your show of support to Crónica21 is much needed, together we can help this project grow.

Many thanks in advance!